Dr Laura Hamlet

I’m Dr Laura Hamlet, CEO of Coigach Community Development Company (CCDC), a community-led organisation in the North West Highlands of Scotland. My background is in geoarchaeology and sustainable rural development, and I previously managed the North West Highlands UNESCO Global Geopark. I was also a founder member of North West 2045, a regional initiative exploring what a thriving future for the North West Highlands could look like. A key focus of my work is translating lived experience for policy and decision makers, while helping communities better understand and engage with complex policy landscapes. At CCDC, I lead projects spanning affordable housing, renewable energy and community assets, with a particular interest in how community-led approaches and good housing design coupled with appropriate policy support and bit of community magic, can help rural communities genuinely thrive.