Outside of work and my studies, I enjoy spending quality time with family and friends. I also have a passion for baking and love going on walks to stay active. Maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle is important to me, and recently, I’ve discovered a newfound enjoyment in going to the gym. It has not only become a fun part of my routine but has also had a positive impact on my mental well-being.

I chose Live & Local for my work placement because I feel that the organisation aligns well with my interests, passions and aspirations to work within the field of media and business. Having always been enthusiastic about theatre and the creative industries, as well as marketing and community engagement, this placement has offered a unique opportunity for me to combine these areas.

Live & Local's focus on connecting local communities through arts and community development projects made it a perfect choice for me, allowing me to gain hands-on experience in this organisation that values both creativity and meaningful impact.

A typical day in my role as a Marketing Intern at Live & Local looked something like this:

I arrived at 10 am, greeted the friendly faces in the office and set up my desk for the day. My tasks included working on a promoter skills and development audit questionnaire and writing copy for the Instagram account.

In addition to these tasks, I attended a few team meetings. The first was with Chris and the Community Engagement Team. I joined to learn more about their work and to gather ideas for the skills and development questionnaire.

Once that meeting wrapped up, I dove into creating the questionnaire. I familiarised myself with Survey Monkey and began building the questionnaire.

Before heading off for lunch, I had a brief two-minute catch-up with Company Manager Kristie to review the tasks I’d completed so far. During lunch, I had the pleasure of meeting Community Engagement Officer Nip, who had just arrived at the office. For lunch, I enjoyed a delicious ham and garlic Philadelphia sandwich and a crisp apple.

In the afternoon, we all joined the company Teams meeting, where we discussed business matters. The meeting was well organised, and I had the opportunity to update the team on my progress.

After the meeting, I continued working on the questionnaire, before reviewing the publicity and overprinting information. At 4:30 pm, I packed up and headed home for the day.

A few of my highlights at Live & Local included spending a day packing up the ‘What’s On’ diaries. Over two days, the team and I worked together to pack an impressive 21,000 leaflets. While it initially felt like a bit of a challenge, we turned it into an enjoyable experience with chocolates and music, making the process fun and memorable. Through this, I learned the importance of teamwork, efficiency, and maintaining a positive attitude, even during repetitive tasks. It was a great reminder of how collaboration and a little creativity can transform a challenging task into a rewarding experience.

Another standout experience was visiting Tutbury Village Hall with Laura to watch the 54 North Celtic fusion band. It was fascinating to see how rural towns host performances and to observe first-hand how Live & Local supports and engages with these events. This opportunity provided valuable insight and was truly memorable.

My final highlight was the "Carol-oke" during the company away day. It was such a fun experience singing carols together as we made our way to the restaurant. The lively atmosphere and the shared joy of the group made it incredibly memorable. It was a perfect blend of festive cheer and team bonding, and it highlighted the positive, inclusive culture of Live & Local. Moments like this not only made me feel more connected to the team, but also reminded me of the importance of enjoying the little things that bring people together.