The charity behind the Maid of the Loch have won a prestigious national award recognising the significant contribution volunteers make to the conservation or operation of historic vessels.
National Historic Ships UK and the Marsh Charitable Trust awarded a prize of £500 to the PS Maid of the Loch volunteers.
Volunteers have always been at the heart of the Maid of the Loch’s restoration.
These include practical volunteers working on the ship and those providing visitor services to the public and directors who also plan and manage the entire process, engineering, financial, marketing and supply.
The restoration process took a huge step forward in 2020 when the charity secured a substantial grant to rebuild the broken carriage in order to slip the ship successfully.
Thanks to the group of 50 or so volunteers who contribute many thousands of hours to the continuing restoration of the Maid, the vision to restore the paddle steamer to her former glory is now firmly in sight.
Volunteer director Anne Urquhart said: “LLSC could not achieve what it has without the unpaid skilled labour unstintingly provided by our much-varied volunteer workforce. They have worked wonders, all with a can-do attitude. We value them hugely and consider that they more than merit the Marsh Award, and the recognition it will surely bring.”
The Maid of the Loch is seen as a magnificent example of Clyde-built ship engineering.
Already a much-loved feature on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, she attracts thousands of visitors every year and, over the last 20 years, a loyal band of volunteers has focused every available hour on her restoration.
With public support the Loch Lomond Steamship Company charity hope to safely steer the Maid to a new phase of her life, relaunching her as a fully operational paddle steamer.
For more on how to help with the restoration of the Maid visit www.maidoftheloch.org/donate
