A specialist Cambridgeshire care provider is celebrating its culturally diverse team of employees on International Nurses Day to highlight its recognition of international workers in the social care industry.

Askham Village Community, near Doddington, was founded in the 1980s by Salma and Salim Giga who were both born in East Africa, and is now run by their daughter, Aliyyah-Begum Nasser.

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 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.

Mathew 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 11 years speaks volumes to the way I have been treated, not only as an employee but as an Indian woman.”

Lead nurse Mariya Petkova’s roots are 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.

Petkova 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. 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.”