First up in our ‘Introducing…’ series:

Laurel Miller, Okehampton Community Heritage Coordinator

Hi, I’m Laurel and I am the Community Heritage Coordinator for Okehampton. I really enjoy meeting people and finding out about local history, so the Coordinator role is perfect for me.

I first became interested in history when I was a child living in an old house in Sussex. The house had been lived in for hundreds of years and I was fascinated by the thought of all those people who had lived there before me. Who were they? What were their stories?

After studying History at University, I became a History teacher, before landing my dream job working in a museum. I still have a strong curiosity about the people who lived their lives before ours and I love the connection that old objects and documents give us to that time and place. I feel that I know and understand a place better when I learn about its past.

Working in museums and archives, I have seen how people of all ages enjoy exploring the past, making discoveries and understanding more about the place where they live. I am excited to see what we will find out about Okehampton and to share our discoveries with the community.