Our home ‘family’ bonds over delicious food on International Friendship Day

Our home with multi-national staff team staged a delicious get-together for International Friendship Day

We welcomed a host of residents and their families to its garden for the global celebration of togetherness which was organised by our home’s Customer Advisor Debbie Vidler.

Our Companionship team leader Sue Miles said: “Nothing brings people together like great food and thanks to our hugely diverse staff family we had no shortage of amazing cooks producing dishes from around the world.”

Eight food stations heaved with gorgeous food, all labelled with their representative national flags which had been coloured by The Aldbury residents Bob Smith, Jean Hands, Margaret Grindrod, Tina Thorne, Joyce Holden and Beryl Spaulding.

Dishes ranged from Indian samosas and Indonesian curries, made by housekeeping assistant Ida Gray, to Romanian Carnati Afumati (smoked sausages with mustard) made by admin staff member Elyana Dragota.

The home’s clinical lead Nimpha Salmon and senior nurse Maribel Negrillo made dishes including Philippino Pancit (chicken egg noodles) and Turron (banana fritters).

While Thai housekeeping supervisors Kanya Brannon and Siriporn King, health care assistant Palita Smith and kitchen assistant Windsor Jitikorn created delicious treats such as Red Curry and papaya salad.

Sue continued: “We also had American hot dogs, Italian pizzas and English cream teas and staff wore hand-painted International Friendship Day t-shirts which had been made by residents Carol Jaggard, Jean Hands, Abdul (Hobi) Sabih, Pip Smith and Bob Smith.

Pupils from nearby Manorside Academy had happily volunteered to produce colourful flag bunting which embellished The Aldbury’s frontage.

Resident Joyce Holden said: “I’ve never seen so much delicious food. It’s difficult to decide what to try first.”

International drinks including British Pimms, Italian Limoncello and Spanish Sangria were made by Spanish Companion Melissa Siat and Sue Miles prepared an international songs playlist.

Melissa said: “One of our music-loving residents Joan Perrin requested the Spanish song Macarena and showed off her dance moves. So, I led the dance for residents, relatives and staff to join in.”

The home raised more than £40 for its chosen charity Forest Holme Hospice through the sale of plants which residents had re-potted during their weekly Garden Club.

Sue Miles added: “It was a wonderful day with delicious international food, drinks, music and above all, a lasting bond of friendship amongst The Aldbury’s international staff, local schoolchildren, relatives and of course residents.”