A specialist Cambridgeshire care provider is celebrating its culturally diverse team of employees ahead of International Nurses day on 12th May — recognising the importance of international workers in the social care industry and their pivotal role throughout the hardships of the pandemic.
Askham Village Community, near Doddington, consistently strives to champion all forms of diversity within its workforce in a bid to dismantle stereotypes and recognise the amazing work its employees carry out, irrespective of their nationality. The founders of Askham, Salma and Salim Giga were both born in East Africa and started the business in the 1980s. This lay the foundations for its cultural diversity and an ethos that is proudly being carried forward by their daughter, Aliyyah-Begum Nasser, who now leads Askham’s services.
International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world on the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth and like many social care providers, the team at Askham Village Community have endured a challenging time brought on by the pandemic. Beyond celebrating the crucial care provided to its residents, Askham is looking to celebrate the cultural heritage of its employees — staying true to the ‘international’ element of the awareness day.
Shainy Mathew is a Lead Nurse at Askham and joined the team from overseas in 2011. Originally from India, she saw the opportunity to move to the UK as a way to further her skills in social care and since joining the team, she has progressed from a registered nurse to a management position.
When asked about her eleven years at Askham, Shainy said “What I love most about Askham is the teamwork and community feeling, as well as the supportive directors and management who help us deliver the best quality of care for clients. 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.”
Another success story comes in the form of Lead Nurse, Mariya Petkova, an important member of the team at Askham Village Community whose culture is rooted in Bulgaria. She has been settled in the UK since 2014 and was inspired by her grandmother who was also working in the country as a lead nurse. Coming from a medically trained family, Mariya’s values aligned with Askham’s, which allowed her to blossom within a fair and diverse workforce.
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. The best part about working here is seeing the success of the team's hard work. I love that the senior management and owners are very approachable, and I always feel supported. I also enjoy discussing my heritage with residents and see it as an opportunity to forge relationships, not create barriers — something I really think is down to the culture of Askham.”
Lead Nurse Anju Antony also comes from India and since arriving in the UK in 2012, has delivered exceptional standards of care, with the continued support of professional training that goes beyond mandatory levels and focusses on improving her leadership skills.
When asked if she feels the Askham family are proud of her nationality, Anju said: “Yes absolutely. Askham played a significant role in my professional life and it’s through their motivation and support, I became a lead nurse. 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!”
Shainy, Mariya and Anju are just three examples, from a team of over twenty nurses at Askham, of how the entire Askham Community has looked to broaden its cultural roots beyond the UK, and the result has been a compassionate workforce that treats each other with respect and dignity. The community also holds an annual celebration of cultural diversity, which is set to take place on the 17th May and will call upon food, music, dress and more to further recognise the diversity of its staff and residents.
Askham is always welcoming new residents and staff into its growing community. For further information, please contact 01354 740269 or visit https://askhamvillagecommunity.com/. vv