About Us
Discover our work and why it matters
What we are doing
Hidden Heritages: One School, Many Stories is a project training students from Sawston Village College — our Young Historians — in oral history interviewing techniques. As part of their hands-on training, students visit Cambridgeshire Archives and the Museum of Cambridge to learn about archiving and curation. They will also have access to a bespoke Mentorship Programme.
The students will go on to conduct interviews with local members of the South Asian community, uniquely capturing the voices and experiences of South Asian people in Cambridgeshire. These interviews will form the foundation for two exciting exhibitions: one digital, and one housed at the Museum of Cambridge.
Eventually, all interviews will be preserved in Cambridgeshire Archives for future generations, as part of the county’s permanent historical record. In addition, we’ll create open-access teaching and digital learning resources to support wider educational use.
If you are of South Asian heritage, live in Cambridgeshire, and would like to take part in the project as an interviewee, we’d love to hear from you. Find out more here.
Why are we doing it
We believe that our programme will reveal and capture vital marginalised histories of South Asian migration that are often overlooked.
At the same time, we equip young people with oral history skills and interviewing techniques, helping them develop lifelong skills in communication and historical research. This empowers them to see themselves as active historians, by asking questions and collecting stories, whilst thinking about British history in more inclusive and representative ways.
The project also aims to promote greater wellbeing, both between generations and within the Young Historian cohort, fostering connection, understanding, and shared purpose.
What is oral history?
Oral history is a way of conducting historical research through recorded interviews, with the aim of contributing to historical knowledge and record. It usually involves an interviewer interviewing someone about their personal experiences, with the exchange being recorded. You can find out more about oral history from the Oral History Society.
Our Training
Essential Training
In July 2025, we delivered an Essential Oral History Training Programme to all Year 8 students at Sawston Village College. This opportunity provided an introduction to the principles of oral history and how to record interviews, to around 250 students. The training was delivered by two Oral Historians.
Advanced Training
From autumn 2025 until summer 2026, we are working with a cohort of 30 Young Historians in our Advanced Oral History Training Programme. These Year 9 students will take part in advanced training in oral history interviewing, archiving, and curation. The Programme includes visits to Cambridgeshire Archives and the Museum of Cambridge, as well as in-school training with Oral Historians.
Mentorship Programme
As part of our wider oral history training, we are excited to offer a Mentorship Programme.
Through this Programme, Hadithi C.I.C provides ongoing support to our Young Historians beyond the core training workshops, offering opportunities to stay connected with our team and each other. Young Historians can practise using recording equipment, develop interviewing techniques, and deepen their understanding of oral history as a powerful tool for exploring the past. Through guided, hands-on experience, the Programme helps students build confidence and further develop their skills.
Our Deliverables
Our Young Historians are co-producing both a physical and a digital exhibition, which will be on display at the Museum of Cambridge and available online respectively.
Hadithi C.I.C is also producing a series of digital learning resources to supplement in-person training and wider educational purposes, in the form of:
These resources are open-access and publicly available.