Case Studies

The Maid of the Loch maritime exchange

Fairfield is a community museum dedicated to telling the story of Govan’s role in world ship building.

Three men chatting inside a ships engine room.

Loch Lomond Steam Ship Company, better known as Paddle Steamer Maid of the Loch is run entirely by volunteers. This exchange gave an opportunity to expand  thinking on what to offer and how to further support valued volunteers.

Learning Outcomes

  • Share learning with Fairfield volunteers on how they operate their guided tours
  • Explore topic featured at Fairfield to support Maid volunteers with co-curating maritime & industrial collections
  • Collaborate around outcomes for the health and wellbeing of volunteers.

"Both community museums have a shared interest and history- the exchange was a great opportunity to share that. I served as an apprentice here, and other volunteers has parents and grandparents who were employed in shipbuilding at Fairfield."

Case Studies

Repair cafes and tool libraries

To provide a dynamic opportunity for members to learn first hand about repair cafes and tool libraries and discuss how this could work in the context of a Men’s Shed.

a close up of a boat in a workshop

Learning Outcomes

  • To see a small scale sawmill in operation for plans to incorporate into the organisation.
  • Hearing what other Sheds support mental health such as Tai Chi, cycling groups and a lunch shed.
  • How tool libraries items are logged and maintained.

“The outcome of these visits are that Inverclyde Shed plans to launch a repair café and sawmill- utilising local wind-felled timber. No such services currently exist in Inverclyde so we hope to be able to start them to help the local economy and strengthen our sheds activities for men in the area.”