After working with North Ayrshire Council to provide volunteering places for ‘new Scots’ from Ukraine, the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine wecomed local settled Ukrainians on Saturday 23 – Sunday 24 September for a free weekend.

The Museum on Irvine Harbourside welcomed three Ukrainian volunteers as part of the project in January.

Since then, the team has been involved in activities across the Museum under the guidance of Curator James McLean.

The Irvine-based Ukrainian volunteers, Maryna, Valeria and Natalia, have also helped translate interpretation across the Museum.

Maryna will be on hand during the upcoming weekend to lead guided tours for Ukrainian visitors or provide them with the newly translated guides if they prefer to take in the exhibits and ‘Dream Destination’ exhibition at their own pace.

James McLean, Curator at the Scottish Maritime Museum, says:

Supporting and engaging our local communities is a key role for the Museum so we were delighted to partner with North Ayrshire Council and provide volunteering places for ‘new Scots’.

“Maryna, Valeria and Natalia have been a wonderful addition to our team and, in return, we have learned a lot about their experience rooting themselves in a new country. Indeed, talking to them it was very clear that the process of settling and trying to find a new job when you don’t know the language can be very difficult.

“When Maryna suggested we open up the Museum for free and give newly relocated Ukrainian families the opportunity to come along, meet fellow Ukrainians and discover a little about our maritime history, we jumped at the chance.

Please fill out the registration form so that we understand your interest: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSdI5Tf0nQk…/viewform…

“We look forward to giving our new friends from Ukraine a warm welcome this weekend!”

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Issued on behalf of the Scottish Maritime Museum by
Joanna Harrison, Mobile: 07884 187404