People & Partners

Discover who we are and who we work with

About Hadithi C.I.C

Hadithi C.I.C is a social enterprise dedicated to preserving, sharing, and connecting with the past. We collaborate with heritage organisations, community groups, academic institutions, and schools to bring stories to life.

Our focus is on narratives often marginalised, uncovering overlooked stories that shed light on British history. We’re passionate about making these histories accessible to all.

Specialising in research-driven practices, cultural heritage, diversity, inclusion, and migration narratives, Hadithi C.I.C is committed to amplifying voices that matter. Hidden Heritages: One School, Many Stories is led by Hadithi C.I.C.

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Project Team

Dr Maya Parmar

Dr Maya Parmar

Founder, Hadithi® C.I.C | Researcher | Oral Historian
Hadithi C.I.C Director & Hidden Heritages Project Manager

Maya Parmar

Maya Parmar is Director of Hadithi C.I.C and oversees the delivery of the Hidden Heritages: One School, Many Stories project.

Maya delivered the 2022 Hidden Heritages in Cambridgeshire project for Hadithi C.I.C, following the launch of the Hadithi C.I.C social enterprise in the same year. She is academically trained in the humanities, receiving her doctorate at the University of Leeds in 2013. Since then, she has co-delivered several publicly-funded, research-led, community engaged projects with various universities. Funded to the value of £2,000,000, many of those projects have taken, or take, as their subject postcolonial and diasporic life in Britain today and historically. Maya published her book Reading Cultural Representations of the Double Diaspora: Britain, East Africa, Gujarat in 2019 (Palgrave).

As a Researcher, most recently Maya worked as a Fellow at Queen Mary University of London, to the project Remaking Britain: South Asian Connections and Networks, 1830 to the Present. During this project, she conducted near 100 hours of oral history interviews throughout the UK. The project was Arts and Humanities Research Council funded, and was a collaboration between the University of Bristol and Queen Mary University of London, with The British Library. Its primary output was the landmark digital resource on South Asians in Britain (launched summer 2025). Check out this groundbreaking resource at southasianbritain.org.

Laura Owen

Laura Owen

Hidden Heritages Project Co-ordinator | Oral Historian
Hidden Heritages Project Coordinator

Laura Owen

Laura Owen is an independent Oral Historian based in Cambridge and will be leading on the day-to-day delivery of the Hidden Heritages: One School, Many Stories project.

Laura has a background in heritage engagement, and has delivered numerous oral history and community heritage projects with young people in schools, youth clubs and community settings. She is passionate about sharing migration and ‘everyday’ stories to foster relationships and empathy between communities in the UK. Laura also specialises in creatively sharing oral histories through exhibitions, digital resources, and audio formats such as podcasts and soundscapes.

In addition to her work in Cambridgeshire, Laura has delivered projects in London and the Midlands; namely the Petticoat Lane Heritage Trail project in east London, Sing it Loud, Sing it Queer with The Pink Singers, and Your Story, Your Collection with Rugby Art Gallery & Museum. Laura also develops innovative heritage projects and has secured over £100,000 in funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for a wide range of collaborative, community-led projects.

Harriet Foster

Harriet Foster

Hidden Heritages Evaluation Consultant
Hidden Heritages Evaluation Consultant

Harriet Foster

Harriet Foster is an experienced heritage professional, having over 20 years’ experience of working in the sector, initially starting out in archaeology. Harriet is known for her robust, evidence-led approach in research and evaluation and expertise in community projects. She enjoys getting to know people from a range of backgrounds, understanding their experiences and making sure that this information benefits how projects develop effectively.

Harriet has worked on many projects support by grants from The National Lottery Heritage fund, including Hidden Heritages in Cambridgeshire. She is looking forward to seeing how Hadithi C.I.C’s previous work will develop in practice into Hidden Heritages: One School, Many Stories, as well as focusing, through evaluation, on aspects such as individual wellbeing, intergenerational connectivity and understanding, and a sense of place and belonging.

Stories around migration and re-settlement also hold a personal interest, as Harriet was born and grew up in South East Asia.

Trainers & Mentors

Alongside their roles on the Project Team, Maya and Laura are Oral History Trainers, delivering training to our Young Historians. Both are also Mentors, with Laura leading on the delivery of the Mentorship Programme. 

Oral historian and playwright Rib Davis co-delivered the Essential Training in July 2025. Rib has written many scripts for stage, radio and television. Over his 45 years as an oral historian he has led many projects, working with for example coal miners, steel workers and railway workers.  These projects have led to a wide variety of documentary plays, exhibitions, websites, publications and events. His oral history work has taken him to 9 different countries. Rib Davis is a trainer on behalf of the British Library and the Oral History Society, running 4 different courses for them. He is also Chair of the Environment and Climate Change Special Interest Group of the Oral History Society and is working on a book about oral history and climate change. He is currently engaged on a play commissioned by Manchester University, focusing on oral history interviews with young people carried out in the UK, Spain and Italy. 

Advisory Group

The Hidden Heritages: One School, Many Stories Advisory Group plays a crucial role in guiding the project’s educational objectives and ensuring its inclusive delivery across Cambridgeshire’s South Asian communities. The group offers expert advice on learning and community engagement, whilst championing the work of Hadithi C.I.C throughout the region.

Comprising individuals with diverse professional backgrounds, from across the county, the Advisory Group ensures the project remains relevant, respectful, and impactful.

Krishna Zivraj-Nair

Krishna Zivraj-Nair

Artistic Director & Founder | Sanskruti Dance

Krishna Zivraj-Nair

Rizwan

Rizwan Rahemtulla

Deputy Lieutenant | Cambridgeshire

Rizwan Rahemtulla

Shahida Rahman

Shahida Rahman

Writer | Karim Foundation

Shahida Rahman

Vikash Vadher

Vikash Vadher

Head of History | Avanti House Secondary School

Vikash Vadher

Laura Owen

Zareena Pundole

Student of History | Hidden Heritages in Cambridgeshire Participant

Laura Owen

Student of History | Hidden Heritages in Cambridgeshire Participant

Partners

cambridge museum

Sawston Village College

Click here for more information.

Sawston Village College

Sawston Village College is a 1130-pupil, 11-16 mixed academy, seven miles south of Cambridge, and part of Anglian Learning, a highly successful school trust. Sawston was the first village college founded by Henry Morris, whose vision was for a school which would nurture a lifelong love of learning for people of all ages. The campus today encompasses some 30 acres of classrooms, state of the art laboratories and extensive sports facilities, providing a stimulating environment in which to learn.

Hadithi C.I.C will work with up to 30 Year 9 students at Sawston Village College by training them as Young Historians. The cohort will learn how to conduct oral history interviews, archive oral histories to preserve them for future generations, and curate both physical and digital exhibitions sharing stories of South Asians in Cambridgeshire which will be open to the public in summer 2026.

cambridge museum

Museum Of Cambridge

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Museum Of Cambridge

The Museum of Cambridge tells the extraordinary story of the ordinary people of Cambridge. The Museum cares for a collection of more than 40,000 objects which evoke the diverse daily lives of those living in this region over the last 300 years.

The Museum of Cambridge will support Hadithi C.I.C in developing the skills of the Hidden Heritages Young Historians in curating exhibitions and displaying objects and stories to the public. The Museum will also host the Hidden Heritages exhibition in summer 2026.

You can learn more about the Museum, its opening hours and accessibility information here.

cambridge museum

Cambridgeshire Archives

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Cambridgeshire Archives

Cambridgeshire Archives holds a wealth of unique historic records and other resources relating to Cambridgeshire, the former counties of Huntingdonshire and the Isle of Ely and their communities.

Cambridgeshire Archives will introduce the Young Historians to the process of archiving and preserving oral histories for future generations. The interviews conducted during the Hidden Heritages project will also be deposited at Cambridgeshire Archives, meaning they will contribute to the historical record around South Asians in Cambridgeshire.

You can find out about Cambridgeshire Archives and how to visit here.

Funder

The National Lottery Heritage Fund

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players they support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Their vision for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past. 

Hidden Heritages: One School, Many Stories is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. With thanks to National Lottery players.