LOCAL HISTORY HUB ESSEX

About
Meet the Team
Get Involved

  • Local History Hub Essex brings together schools, heritage organisations, and community partners to support high-quality, place-based history across the county. The hub supports communities across Essex, helping children and young people explore the people, places, and stories that have shaped where they live.

    The hub operates as a local working party, meeting regularly to strengthen and support local history provision through collaboration. By bringing together educators and heritage professionals, it creates a space to share expertise, develop practical approaches, and respond to the needs of real classrooms.

    Supported by English Heritage, the hub connects schools with a wide range of historic sites, collections, and local expertise, helping to make local history accessible, relevant, and engaging for all learners.

    Through curriculum support, partnership working, and local storytelling, the hub makes it easier for schools and communities to work together and ensure local history is meaningful and embedded within everyday learning.

Our Team

Lisa Boenke

  • Lisa is a primary school teacher with 10 years' experience teaching across EYFS, KS1 and KS2. As the History Lead at her school, she is passionate about helping children develop curiosity and an appreciation for the past through engaging and inclusive learning experiences. Alongside her teaching role, she has a strong personal interest in local and British history.

Alice Lucas

  • Alice has been teaching across KS1 for seven years and has been her school’s History Lead for the last four years. She thoroughly enjoys engaging children with the past and seeing them develop and retain their historical knowledge. Alice particularly enjoys teaching history in fun, practical ways that support children’s engagement and is looking forward to being part of the Essex Local History Hub.

Julie Pugh

  • Julie Pugh is a Learning and Participation Officer at English Heritage, covering the East of England. She supports school visits and projects across a range of historic sites in East Anglia, helping to connect pupils with local heritage in meaningful ways.

    Before moving into the heritage sector, Julie worked as a special needs teacher. She is passionate about making local history accessible to all learners and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to engage with the stories of the places where they live.

  • Local History Hub Essex works with schools, heritage organisations, and community partners to strengthen local history teaching across the county.

    We’re keen to hear from teachers, schools, and heritage organisations who would like to get involved, whether by collaborating on projects, sharing local expertise, or supporting curriculum-linked local history opportunities.

    The easiest way to get involved is to complete our Expression of Interest form. It only takes a few minutes and helps us understand how you’d like to be part of the hub’s work.

    👉 Complete the Expression of Interest form to get involved.

    Or contact us directly at enquiries@localhistoryhub.org.uk