Scarborough Hospital nurses create cookbook to celebrate diversity

Liz Alinaitwe and Ginny Russell hope the cookbook will raise funds for the hospital

Nurses at a North Yorkshire hospital have created a cookbook to celebrate cultural diversity and raise funds.

Deputy sister Liz Alinaitwe, originally from Uganda, came up with the idea for Scarborough Hospital's Global Cookbook after hosting cultural awareness days.

She said international staff at the hospital wanted to learn different recipes as "they are here to stay".

The book, which has so far sold 160 copies, includes recipes for Kenyan pilau, Lamb scouse and "Kath's trifle".

Ms Alinaitwe contributed the popular Ugandan rolex dish for the book, as "nobody goes to Uganda without having this".

The rolex - or rolled eggs - consists of a vegetable omelette rolled up in a chapati.

Ms Alinaitwe told the BBC that her favourite recipe from the book was the classic Yorkshire pudding.

'Teams become more like families'

"We want to learn the recipes here because we are here to stay." Ms Alinaitwe added.

Kath Sartain, head of nursing at the hospital, praised Ms Alinaitwe for helping to "bring together various groups from different cultures and different heritages".

"We have seen teams become more like families, and when we had a day together on the beach last year, all the families were mixing together and really enjoying each other's company," she said.

Ginny Russell, who manages the nurses at the hospital, went on to say Ms Alinaitwe's work with the international staff to create the book "really demonstrates the diversity we now have as an NHS family across the trust".

"It's been a really uplifting and humbling experience to be involved in it, but all credit to our staff because they've driven this and they've made this happen," she added.

Scarborough Hospital's Global Cookbook can be purchased from the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for £5, with all funds to be spent on helping patients and staff.