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Hi, I’m Kiran, and I’ve been an Admin Assistant at Sutherland Court for just over 5 years. We’re an extra care location, and even just in the time I’ve been here, I’ve seen it become more diverse.

It’s great to see, because alongside that we can see that Anchor’s culture is becoming more aware and inclusive. Times are changing, and we’re trusted by various communities to look after their loved ones.

How I celebrate Diwali

Being Sikh myself, I celebrated Diwali growing up. It’s a Festival of Lights, so I remember dressing up to go to the Gurdwara (our place of worship) and being totally mesmerised by all the candles! My uncle had quite a high position within the Gurdwara, so he let us children have fun and feel a part of the celebrations. It’s a chance to see family and friends that you haven’t seen for a while. We exchange food and gifts, open the windows to let good luck in, and there are often fireworks, which certainly appeals to the children!

When I was married, I celebrated Diwali and other aspects of my faith a bit less. Now, I’m looking forward to embracing it again, and I’ll be spending the day with my parents. My children have also been bought up as Muslim, so it’s nice to introduce them to my culture and what’s important to me. I also do catering, so I’ll be taking them to a fireworks show on the 1st November, which they’ll enjoy and has the added benefit of teaching them a bit about Diwali.

Why I joined Anchor’s embRACE network

Within Anchor, it’s reassuring to see that the culture is becoming more inclusive too. I remember this year my manager proactively asked if our team needed any time or support around Ramadan, and it felt wonderful to know that those questions and considerations are becoming a part of Anchor’s culture. I’ve also seen posters with a man wearing a turban alongside people of other ethnicities, so it’s lovely to see diversity and inclusion becoming normalised and integrated. By showing real people recounting their real experiences, we can develop our understanding and empathy so much more.

That was one of the reasons I joined our embRACE Network about 4 years ago. It’s good to know there’s a support network. Even when everyone is inclusive, sometimes you just need to talk to someone who understands, and who doesn’t need things explaining.

However, it’s also really great to see a full community in that network who are embracing all the ways that their and others’ identities overlap and interact. It feels like things are becoming less divisive between groups and communities, and that helps us bring about change through the networks to make Anchor an even better place to live and work.

Kiran is an Admin Assistant at Anchor

Our approach to Diversity and Inclusion

We aim to make diversity and inclusion an everyday reality and ensure that dignity and respect are central to the way we work and that the unique contributions of our colleagues and residents are valued and celebrated. Find out more about our approach to Diversity and Inclusion here.