‘Fire In Our Bellies’ and ‘From Their Farms To Our Plates’ awarded £5000 Oxford Cultural Collective Scholarships

Oxford Cultural Collective (OCC) has announced the recipients of its 2026 scholarships, supporting two ambitious projects that demonstrate the potential of food and hospitality to create positive and lasting change.

 

Diva Garg, for From Their Farms To Our Plates: a journey to India, and Fariya and Sahar Sharif, for Fire In Our Bellies, have each been awarded a £5,000 grant, alongside mentoring and professional support to help bring their projects to life.

The recipients were announced at a reception at Kings Place, London, on 26 September, following a selection process that saw six projects shortlisted for this year’s scholarships. This year’s guest judges were world-renowned photographer David Loftus, and campaigner and author Mallika Basu.

 

Fire In Our Bellies

Created by sisters Fariya and Sahar Sharif, Fire In Our Bellies will bring together multiple generations of Glasgow’s Pakistani diaspora to share, celebrate and preserve traditional cooking techniques and knowledge.

Through workshops and online publications, Fariya and Sahar will provide opportunities for knowledge to be passed between generations, helping to safeguard defining aspects of cultural heritage, strengthening connections within communities and encouraging wider understanding.

Fariya, a lawyer who specialises in women’s rights, and Sahar, who works as a statistician at Glasgow University, are well-placed to undertake a social impact project. They previously ran Parveen’s, a community-focused canteen, at Civic House, a coworking and arts studio on Glasgow’s Spier’s Wharf.

Their next venture will be a permanent restaurant in Govanhill (recently named by Time Out as one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods), which will showcase and celebrate their Pakistani heritage, alongside their Scottish identity.

 

 

From Their Farms To Our Plates: a journey to India

Diva Garg’s From Their Farms To Our Plates: a journey to India, will create immersive trips to India for food professionals and students, enabling participants to explore the relationships between farming, food systems, communities and cultures in the context of climate change.

The project aims to give participants first-hand insight into the people, places and practices behind food production, while creating opportunities for learning and knowledge exchange. Diva’s longer-term ambition is to develop a financially self-sustaining programme of culturally immersive trips spanning multiple destinations.

Currently undertaking a masters in The Anthropology of Food at SOAS, Diva also works as an Events Manager at Omved Gardens in Highgate, a learning hub focused on ecology, food and creativity.

 

Don Sloan, founder of Oxford Cultural Collective, said: “Diva, Fariya and Sahar presented compelling ideas rooted in a deep understanding of the power of food to connect people, cultures and communities.

“While very different in their approaches, both projects have the potential to create meaningful and lasting impact. They combine ambition with a clear sense of purpose, and we are delighted to help turn their ideas into reality.

“The quality of this year’s shortlist made the selection process extremely challenging. All six shortlisted proposals demonstrated imagination, commitment and a belief in the potential of food and hospitality to be forces for positive change.”

 

Supporting the next generation of changemakers

As OCC Scholarship recipients, Diva Garg, Fariya Sharif and Sahar Sharif will join previous scholarship recipients on the Antonio Carluccio Changemakers Programme, which provides continuous support as participants develop their careers and extend their impact.

Through the programme, recipients have access to leading practitioners and thinkers who can provide valuable insights, guidance and mentoring.

 

The 2026 shortlist also included Dylan Grinker with Refunkt Starter Packs, Craig McCorquodale with Please Stay, and Kai Meredith with Veg Business.