Askham Village Community celebrated its culturally diverse team of employees on International Nurses Day.
Recognising the importance of international workers in the social care sector, the specialist care and rehabilitation facility situated in Doddington, near Cambridge, was founded in the 1980s by Salma and Salim Giga, who were born in East Africa.
Today, its ethos is proudly carried forward by their daughter, Aliyyah-Begum Nasser, who leads Askham’s services.
International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world on 12 May – the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth.
Shainy Mathew is a lead nurse at Askham. Originally from India, she moved to the UK to further her skills in social care. She said: “Askham always supports employees from various nationalities, and we are all treated with equality. In fact, many of the residents express a keen interest in my heritage and it has become a talking point throughout my career. I think the fact I have been here for eleven years speaks volumes to the way I have been treated, not only as an employee but as an Indian woman.”
Lead nurse Mariya Petkova hails from Bulgaria. When asked about her experience of working at Askham, Mariya said: “My grandmother was always a role model to me, so when she decided to retire, I was keen to follow in her footsteps and Askham gave me the opportunity to do so. I also enjoy discussing my heritage with residents and see it as an opportunity to forge relationships, not create barriers.”
Another of Askham’s lead nurses, Anju Antony, also comes from India. He added: “Throughout my career here, I have never felt that my Indian heritage has been an issue and like many of my colleagues, I enjoy it when residents interact with my culture, so I often wear traditional Indian necklaces or clothes — which they love!”
