David Kitcat has run Kitcat & Co Solicitors in Malvern for the last two years, and knows a thing or two about travelling.
Born into a South African family of English origin, David said his pathway into law came from the inequality he saw in South African society at the time, saying: “My mother worked for Bishop Desmond Tutu at a time when he was not very well regarded.
“With white rule in South Africa there was such inequality. I remember my mum worked with a black lady whose husband had been executed and I remember as a child not understanding why there was segregation and feeling that change had to come.
“It was a fractured society and a weird time to be growing up, I am so glad we were able to peacefully transition from white rule to a truly multicultural government.
“South Africa is such a diverse and wonderful country. Even within the white community there are English speakers with a hundred years of family history and Afrikaans speakers who have been here over 400 years.”
David volunteered for The Black Sash in South Africa which helped members of the dispossessed black community who had been cheated out of their pensions by the state. 
David explained: “What the government was doing at that time was falsifying the birth records of members of the black community so they couldn’t take their pensions.
“We helped them fight the legal battle to prove their age and get them the money they deserved.
“It was really rewarding to help people who did not necessarily have the skills and education to help themselves.”
David studied for his law degree at Rhodes University in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa before travelling to the UK on a Commonwealth visa in 1994. He then converted his degree to English law at the College of Law in London. 
Having trained at a firm in Knightsbridge, he started working for a law firm in Norfolk.
By this time he had met his wife Becky and decided to stay in England. He said: “What struck me when I got here was how fiercely proud British people are of their heritage and their regions.
“In South Africa we considered ourselves simply ‘British’ but here everyone is very proud, whether its English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish.”
David and his family moved to Norfolk from London where their children were born before the whole family moved to Malvern in 2007. David worked with March & Edwards in Worcester, then Paytons in Malvern, before deciding to start his own firm.
The most important thing to remember when dealing with wills is compassion, according to David, he said: “You are dealing with people who are making very big decisions about the future and the end of their lives.
 “You have to be sensitive and make sure you do the right thing by that person respecting their wishes.”
David’s journey has taken him a long way, but he seems to have found his home in Malvern. He said: “I love Malvern, it is such a dynamic place and everyone is always doing something. 
“There is always lots to do and lots going on and it really does feel like home.”
In the early days, David relied heavily on a wealth of contacts and word of mouth to get his company off the ground Kitcat & Co is well recognised locally.
According to David, planning is key to setting up your own business. He said: “Planning is absolutely vital, what is also important is seeking out the help that is available because there is a lot of it out there. Don’t be afraid of getting out there and meeting people.”