Bollywood comes to Broomhill care home

BOLLYWOOD came to Broomhill when care home residents and staff celebrated Indian culture with an authentic curry and bhangra dancing.

The Laurels and The Limes Care Home, on Manchester Road, Sheffield, held an India Day as the first in a series of events celebrating cultures from around the world.

One of care home’s care assistants, Antony Pullen, moved to Sheffield from India in 2022 and has been working in the care sector since.

He was invited to share his heritage with residents and cook a dish from his home – choosing a biriyani with naan bread, onion bhajis, as well as the English addition of chips.

Following lunch, residents and staff enjoyed a performance from a Bollywood dancer, when Antony and fellow cook Kerry joined in.

Antony also shared that his favourite Bollywood movie was the original Malayalam version of psychological thriller Drishyam.

Pam Dalley, 87, a resident at the care home, said: “It was wonderful to be involved in a cultural day and have traditional Indian food. It was lovely that Anthony shared his home with us all.”

Antony, who worked as a real estate agent in India, said: “I have been in the UK for 11 months now. I came with my wife, who is a student.

“I decided to become a carer because I love spending time with the elderly and caring for them.

“Coming to the UK was a big dream of mine and cooking for the residents on that day was another dream come true. Watching the residents enjoy the food made my eyes tear up. It was a big achievement for me.”

The Indian day was the first of many planned cultural days at the care home, with others including Filipino and Caribbean.

Sophie King, home manager at The Laurels Care Home, said: “Everyone at both The Laurels and The Limes thoroughly enjoyed our India Day. A massive thank you must go to Antony for sharing his culture with us and helping to cook an amazing meal, which everyone enjoyed.

“As much as he was panicking that no one would enjoy his cooking, Anthony said it was great that he could share a little bit of his home with us.

“We now have staff planning different themed days, so maybe we’ll end up travelling around the entire world one day. The residents love hearing about other cultures, trying new foods, and enjoying the entertainment, so everyone’s looking forward to the next one.”