In line with the PCREF Framework, the event was created to celebrate diversity through food, learning, and culturally-informed activities.
The day brought together staff from across the service, including the medical, psychology, occupational therapy, nursing, catering and ward teams — all of whom played an important role in making the event a success and ensuring everything ran smoothly.
The nursing, medical, and ward teams led on preparing a range of dishes for staff, including Jollof rice, Nigerian chicken stew, turkey, beef, fried rice, yam yam, puff puff, and cheesecake.
The service users also contributed meaningfully, with one individual taking the lead in preparing a well-loved Caribbean menu, featuring rice and peas, chicken stew, and homemade coleslaw.
The Occupational Therapy team focused on planning and decorating the environment while offering a variety of culture-based activities on the ward. One of the psychology assistants added to the day by sharing a traditional Greek dish, Moussaka.
A special thank you goes to the Head of Kitchen Staff, who designed an inclusive menu for both staff and service users. This featured a wide selection of international dishes such as: Thai green chicken curry, lamb jalfrezi, mini cheeseburgers, chicken gyoza, jasmine rice, tofu curry, plantain, an Indian selection, falafel, beetroot hummus, pitta bread, feta salad, coleslaw, mixed salad, poppadoms, mango chutney, Gulab Jamun, and victoria sponge cake.
Stacey said: “By the end of the day, we received overwhelmingly positive feedback from staff and service users alike, who described the event as welcoming, enjoyable, and a wonderful opportunity to collaborate. Many also shared that they gained greater insight, respect, and understanding of the diverse cultural backgrounds represented within our hospital community.
“A huge thank you to everyone for your enthusiasm, contributions, and teamwork in making this Cultural Day such a success.”