Hello everyone, my name is Sarra Sheikh, and I have just finished my first week as an intern with The Mills Archive Trust.
I came here through the University of Reading Graduate Internship Scheme, as part of their efforts to provide more career and work experience to their graduates.
My first impression of the Archive offices was that it was a relaxed, comfortable environment in which to work. At my interview, I felt that everyone who worked here had a genuine interest in mills and the preservation of information about them. It was what first attracted me to this position – working with people who were also enthusiastic about keeping a record of the past and tracing out the history behind these mills.
I am responsible for the sorting and digital cataloguing of press cuttings, a task which I found reveals some true gems in terms of certain mills and the stories behind them, articles dating back decades that are still relevant to issues today, and some truly beautiful photography and sketches. I can honestly say my first week here has been a pleasure, and I look forward to the other eleven I will be spending here.
I shall be posting more details about my work and the articles as and when I come across them, so watch this space for my take on them. In addition, I am also going to be involved in helping with the designing and launch of our new website, so look out for that too!