Haslemere and Wormley Care Homes Bring Community Together for Multicultural Day Celebration
Residents, families and team members from Brownscombe Care Residences in Haslemere and Surrey Heights Dementia Care Centre in Wormley came together for a colourful Multicultural Day celebration filled with food, music, dancing and community spirit.
The event, held at Brownscombe Care Residences, brought the two CHD Living homes together for an afternoon celebrating culture, heritage and connection. Guests enjoyed a barbecue and a selection of dishes inspired by different traditions, including shawarma, Bulgarian food and fresh Greek salads.
Many residents, relatives, visitors and team members also wore traditional clothing to represent their culture, creating a warm and lively atmosphere where people could share stories, talk about their backgrounds and enjoy learning more about one another.
The celebration also welcomed two members of Jamia Ahmadiyya School, which neighbours Brownscombe Care Residences. They kindly wrote residents’ and guests’ names in Arabic on patterned cards, giving everyone a personal keepsake from the day.
Molly McWilliams, Wellbeing Coordinator at Brownscombe Care Residences, said: “Multicultural Day was such a joyful afternoon. There was colour, music, food, dancing and so much laughter, but the loveliest part was seeing people share pieces of who they are with one another.
“Our residents really enjoyed trying different foods, seeing the traditional outfits and having their names written in Arabic by our neighbours from Jamia Ahmadiyya School. It gave people something to talk about, sparked lots of conversation and created some really special moments between residents, families, team members and visitors.
“At Brownscombe Care Residences and Surrey Heights Dementia Care Centre, we want people to feel seen, included and valued. Days like this show just how much life, personality and history there is within our homes. Everyone has a story, a background and something to share, and it was a privilege to bring people together in such a happy way.”
Mr Hafiz Rabbi from Jamia Ahmadiyya School, said:“It was a real pleasure to visit Brownscombe Care Residences and be part of such a warm and joyful celebration. Writing everyone’s names in Arabic was a simple gesture, but it was lovely to see how much interest and happiness it brought to residents, families and guests.
“Multicultural Day was a beautiful opportunity to share a little of our culture, learn from others and spend time with people in the local community. We are very grateful to have been welcomed so kindly and we hope the cards will be a special reminder of the day.”
The celebration formed part of CHD Living’s ongoing commitment to creating meaningful experiences that reflect residents’ lives, identities and interests. Across its homes and services, CHD Living focuses on supporting people to stay connected to the traditions, relationships and moments that matter to them.
Brownscombe Care Residences provides residential, nursing, respite and palliative care in Haslemere, while Surrey Heights Dementia Care Centre provides specialist dementia care in Wormley, Godalming. Both homes are part of CHD Living, a family-owned care provider guided by its ethos of Creating Happiness Daily
