Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month

South Asian Heritage Month takes place every year on 18 July to 17 August.

It’s a month-long campaign which celebrates the heritage of people with roots in South Asia, and promotes South Asian history through education, arts, culture and commemoration, with the goal of helping people to better understand the diversity of present-day Britain. This is a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on what matters to people of South Asian heritage in Britain today, particularly in the NHS.

Beginning on 18 July, which marks the date that the Indian Independence Act 1947 gained royal assent from King George VI, to 17 August which is the date that the Radcliffe Line was published in 1947, which set out where the border between India, West Pakistan and East Pakistan - now Bangladesh. So, these dates give a small indication of how Britain’s history is very much connected to countries of South Asia.

The event this year also reflects two major anniversaries taking place in 2022; the 75th anniversary of the independence of India, Partition, and the creation of East and West Pakistan, and the 50th anniversary of the expulsion of Ugandan Asians by Idi Amin.

Photo of Philip Marshall, Director of Workforce and Organisational Development holding a card which reads: Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month From a Trust perspective, we’d like to use this time to commemorate our MYHT colleagues who have family roots and connections within South Asia. As Director of Workforce and Organisational Development, I’d like to say a huge, heartfelt thank you to those colleagues for your invaluable contribution to the Trust – without you Mid Yorkshire would not be what it is today.

Myself and the rest of the Executive Team want to ensure that we create a safe space at Mid Yorkshire, where colleagues feel empowered to embrace their whole self and are proud to share their stories and reflections on how their culture and identity has shaped them, not just in their personal life but also in their careers. We know that there is still work to be done in this area, but it’s something we’re striving for and the entire Executive team support this.

MYHT staff come from all different parts of the world and walks of life, and in celebration of this, I’m delighted that we have recently created some artwork which really showcases the diversity of our workforce and reflects our commitment to promoting equality and diversity. Everyone at the Trust is working together to make a difference to our patients’ lives; we truly are #allMYteam.

Graphic showing all the flags and nationalities of staff at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust. Text reads: Here at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, embracing diversity is at the heart of our culture, which is why we're proud to have a workforce which is representative of the communities we serve.

I’m proud each and every day of our diverse workforce, many of which are from a range of different faiths and cultures. This South Asian Heritage Month, I’d like each and every one of you to be proud; be proud of your roots, your identity and your heritage. Be proud of your colleagues, friends and families. Be proud of yourselves, your contribution to Mid Yorkshire and the NHS, and everything you have achieved. Be proud to be part of MY Team.

I sincerely hope that this month allows our staff, patients and communities to come together and learn more about South Asian history and culture, and celebrate those of you with South Asian heritage. Keep an eye out on our social media channels – there’ll be lots going on and a number of staff members sharing their stories and South Asian roots.

Thank you once again for everything that you do. If you see me around the Trust, let me know how you’ll be celebrating this month!

Phillip Marshall, Director of Director of Workforce and Organisational Development