Recognising South Asian Heritage Month in Children’s Healthcare: Embracing Inclusivity for All Cultures

At Tree of Hope, we believe in the power of inclusivity and the importance of celebrating diverse cultures and backgrounds. We’re recognising South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM), celebrated annually from July 18 to August 17. This month provides a time for reflection and recognition of the rich history, diverse cultures, and significant contributions of South Asian communities that some of our families are represented within. By embracing SAHM, we aim to create a more inclusive environment, ensuring that all cultures and backgrounds are acknowledged and valued in our work with children and their families.

The Importance of South Asian Heritage Month

South Asian Heritage Month serves as a vital reminder of the contributions and influences of South Asian communities in various fields, including healthcare. For a children's healthcare charity, acknowledging this month is crucial as we strive to foster an environment of respect, understanding, and inclusivity. It encourages our staff, trustees and volunteers to learn about and appreciate the diverse cultural backgrounds of our community members and the families we serve and consider how we can weave this into our family outreach strategies as well as it being a consideration for how families go about their fundraising and raising awareness of their campaigns.

The theme this year is ‘Free to be Me’ and it is great that we are seeing more representation across our culture for people to aspire to. From Rishi Sunak being an MP and Prime Minister, Malala Yousafzai promoting fair education amongst girls and Sunil Chhetri being a professional footballer – these are all aspirational shifts but we know there are still strong inequities in healthcare settings, experienced by communities across the UK and around the globe. Our Family Support Officer Caroline attended a conference recently of which there was much evidence demonstrated that these inequalities are a result of decades of systemic and institutionalised racism.

We want to play our part in celebrating initiatives like that promote a freedom to people getting the support they need and ensuring these communities are fairly represented in brands and organisations to ensure people feel included and proud to share their heritage and find opportunities within this.

Celebrating Diversity in Tree of Hope

A growing proportion of the families we support are from South Asian heritages and part of our role is to support families with their fundraising journeys and help increase their opportunities and routes to accessing the funds they need for their disabled children to thrive and get the healthcare support they need.

Ansh's family used their Diwali celebrations as a way to fundraise and promote their campaign to their community. The festival, the first of its kind to be held on the South Coast, saw hundreds flock to celebrate and connect. The day included a fashion show of 100 years of Indian fashion, a Ramleela play which tells the story of Diwali, a bazaar selling crafts and products and food stalls.

Fundraising Support  

We encourage more families to celebrate their cultural heritages and backgrounds as a way of connecting with their communities to build the support to help them achieve their goals.

Celebrating with Food and Festivities

Food is a significant aspect of South Asian culture, and celebrating SAHM with traditional South Asian cuisine can be a delightful way to bring people together which we are promoting as a fundraising tool this month, for families to use this as a fundraising strategy, to reach out to their wider communities, build connections and invite people to learn about their campaigns.

Hosting a cultural food fair or a potluck where families and staff can share and enjoy traditional dishes can foster a sense of community and belonging. Additionally, incorporating South Asian music, dance, and art into our events can provide a joyful and immersive cultural experience as we experienced at Ansh’s Diwali event!

Encouraging Inclusive Practices Year-Round

Tree of Hope is committed to keep striving to creating an inclusive brand and service and we are excited for our soon to be announced strategy to address how we do this.

We know ongoing education and training is essential for us to stay informed about the diverse cultures we serve and actively seeking feedback from the families we serve to understand their needs and improve our services accordingly, to ensure our communities feel heard.

Recognizing South Asian Heritage Month in our children's healthcare charity is more than just a celebration; it's a commitment to fostering inclusivity, understanding, and respect for all cultures and backgrounds. By embracing the rich heritage of South Asian communities as one example, we can create a more inclusive environment that benefits everyone. Together, we strive to work to ensure that every child and family feels valued, respected, and cared for, regardless of their cultural background.

If your child has a disability or illness or you know someone that could benefit from our support, please get in touch with our Family Support team here, we’d love to speak to you and find out how we can best support.