2026 Lou Willcock Scholarship

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR THE 2026 LOU WILLCOCK SCHOLARSHIP (CLOSING DATE 21^ST AUGUST 2026)

 

Secure a grant of £5000 and a professional mentor for one year, to enable completion of a delf-designed project that supports your personal and professional development and makes a positive contribution to industry or society.  Open to those aged from 18 to 35, who are UK residents working or studying in hospitality or gastronomy.

 

For enquires and to discuss possible applications, contact the OCC team (occ@oxfordculturalcollective.com).

 

This is your opportunity to engage in a creative project, of your own design, that will enhance your skills and attributes and have a positive impact on others.

Applicants are invited to propose a personal or professional development project that reflects their aspirations and passions and that will have a lasting legacy. This might involve overseas travel, to engage in a distinctive learning experience; the acquisition of skills that enable a move from a corporate role to entrepreneurial life; or the launch of a community project that will extend opportunities to others. The OCC Trust places no limits on applicants’ creativity and is looking forward to receiving truly innovative proposals.

Antonio Carluccio Changemakers Programme

All scholarship winners become members of the Antonio Carluccio Changemakers Programme – a community that helps maintain momentum, establishing them as an identifiable group who are committed to affecting positive change in society. The programme brings scholars together at least once a year to share news on progress, provide practical support including mentoring, introductions and professional opportunities, and enabling them to shape the future of the OCC scholarships programme.

Applications

Project proposals should be well constructed and show evidence of appropriate planning and research.

Project proposal should have a strong social or cultural purpose, designed to benefit others. The OCC Trust encourages applications from those representing a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures.

The winner of the Lou Willcock Scholarship will receive a grant of £5000 mentoring support from one of the OCC Trustees, for a period of one year.

The scholarship submission deadline is 12 midnight on 21^st August 2026.

 

This scholarship has been created to honour the legacy of Lou Willcock (1961 – 2018), a creative force in hospitality, who was a close friend and colleague of many in the OCC community. In addition to achieving great personal success as an entrepreneur, she dedicated herself to supporting others as a mentor and guide. Her relentlessly positive, hopeful and inquiring approach had a life-affirming impact on all who knew her.

 

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD BUDGET AND TIMETABLE TEMPLATE

CLICK TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

 

For enquires and to discuss possible applications, contact the OCC team (occ@oxfordculturalcollective.com).

 

In your application, submitted online, you are required to include:

• Your contact details
• Project title
• Summary of project proposal (maximum 150 words)
• Full details of project proposal (maximum 1000 words), to include intended impact on you personally, and on others
• A short film recording, in which you outline your motivation, skills and experience (maximum 4 minutes)
• Provisional budget and timetable for your project, using standard template
• Contact details for two referees

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. The Lou Willcock Scholarship is open to UK residents who are between eighteen and thirty-five years old, as of the closing date on 21^st August 2026.
2. Applicants must be working or studying in the fields of food, drink or hospitality (or related fields).
3. An outline budget must be submitted as part of each application.
4. The OCC Trust maintains the right to challenge and revise outline budgets, in consultation with winning applicants.
5. The full grant may be released in stages, in line with planned expenditure.
6. The OCC Trust will work with the winning applicant to refine and adapt their project proposal, and to facilitate its implementation, so as to achieve positive outcomes.
7. The development project should begin within six months of the announcement of the winner (September 2026) and be complete within two years (although it may stimulate legacy projects).
8. The winning applicant may be requested to complete a reflective review of their experience of engaging in their project, which will be placed in the public domain. The format of this review will be agreed in advance with the OCC Trust (e.g., could be written report, filmed diary, oral presentation).
9. Decisions of the judging panel, including on eligibility and on choice of winner, will be final and The Trust will not enter into communication about the merits of particular entries.

 

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

• I will be in the age range 18 to 35 at the time of the closing date for submissions (21^st August 2026)
• I am a UK resident
• I have provided my correct contact details
• I have described my project within the required word count
• I have recorded a short film
• I have provided a budget
• I have provided a timetable
• I understand that the OCC Trust judges and administrators will have access to the personal data that I have provided in my application and that it will be processed to administer my application. I can ask for my data to be deleted at any time
• I would love to be the successful applicant