Job Title: Evaluation Consultant
Responsible to: Learning and Museum Manager
Location: The Tall Ship Glenlee, Glasgow, with evaluation work in local schools.
Project Title: Sail the Future – STEM at Sea onboard The Tall Ship Glenlee
Contract Value: £6,000
Duration: Fixed term contract from September 2026 – July 2027
About the Tall Ship Glenlee:
The Tall Ship Glenlee Trust is a registered Scottish charity dedicated to preserving, maintaining and interpreting the last remaining Clydebuilt sailing ship of its kind still afloat in the UK. The Tall Ship is one of the city’s busiest, most vibrant visitor attractions, located in the heart of Glasgow at the Riverside Museum and River Clyde. Of the many hundreds of ships built in Glasgow’s shipyards, Glenlee is one of only four Clyde-built tall ships still afloat in the world today. We are an independent museum and venue committed to the preservation and interpretation of Glenlee and increasing awareness of Glasgow’s maritime history for the benefit of local people and visitors to Glasgow.
Sail the Future: STEM at Sea will be a dynamic learning and engagement programme centred on the historic Tall Ship Glenlee in Glasgow. We will use the ship’s heritage as a springboard to inspire young people with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills, while connecting these to the modern maritime sector’s transition to renewable energy. The programme will empower students from local schools in Govan and Partick to co-design and test new STEM workshops, ensuring that young people themselves help shape how engineering is represented and taught onboard. These workshops will then become a lasting resource for other schools and visiting groups to enjoy, enriching the ship as a cultural and educational attraction.
With funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Ingenious Fund, students from four local primary schools will co-produce a series of STEM workshops with professional engineers.
Key goals of the project are to:
• Inspire interest in STEM among young people, particularly those underrepresented in engineering pathways.
• Foster intergenerational learning by bringing school students together with maritime engineers and museum professionals.
• Create hands-on workshops aligned with the curriculum, using Glenlee’s history to explore STEM concepts in a real-world context.
• Promote environmental awareness and climate literacy by linking traditional sailing technologies to modern renewable energy solutions for shipping.
The expected impact of Sail the Future: STEM at Sea is to inspire the next generation of problem-solvers, build pride in Glasgow’s maritime heritage, and create a programme of high-quality curriculum-aligned workshops that will benefit schools across the city for years to come.
Evaluation
The evaluation consultant will work closely with the Tall Ship Glenlee Learning team, the school partners and the engineers during the span of the project. This will include using both quantitative and qualitative methods to measure reach, outcomes, and impact in line with the expectations of the funders.
An evaluation plan has already been developed as part of the initial funding application.
Key deliverables:
- A proportionate and achievable evaluation plan for the project, including (but not limited to):
•Participant feedback – Pre- and post-workshop surveys with students to measure changes in awareness, interest, and confidence in engineering.
• Teacher evaluations – Short feedback forms and follow-up conversations to assess curriculum alignment, perceived student engagement, and classroom impact.
• Engineer reflections – Inviting engineers involved in co-design and delivery to share reflections on the value of participation and the effectiveness of the collaboration.
• Attendance and demographics – Monitoring participation numbers, age groups, and representation from underrepresented audiences in STEM.
• Observation and documentation – Staff and facilitators’ observations of student engagement, teamwork, and problem-solving during workshops.
- All tools and mechanisms required for carrying out the evaluation.
- Some interviews with participants as required / appropriate
- Analysis of all data returned
- A final report suitable for submission to the funders
- A report with recommendations for internal use by the Tall Ship Glenlee for future developments in STEM learning onboard
Fee
The budget for this work is £6,000 (ex VAT) including all expenses.
We expect you to quote a lump sum price for the commission with a staged fee proposal including day rates for all key personnel, allocated resource days and any allowances for expenses.
Required Skills and Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience evaluating STEM, education, heritage or public engagement projects.
- Experience designing mixed-method evaluation frameworks.
- Strong quantitative and qualitative research skills.
- Experience working with schools and young people.
- Knowledge of ethical evaluation practice and GDPR requirements.
- Ability to produce clear, professional reports for funders.
Desirable
- Experience evaluating engineering engagement projects.
- Knowledge of museum and heritage learning.
- Familiarity with Royal Academy of Engineering or similar STEM funding programmes.
- Experience measuring EDI and inclusion outcomes.
Requirements of the submission
Your proposal should include:
• Two case studies of evaluation you have delivered for projects of a
similar scale/nature
• An outline of your methodology and approach to delivering the commission
• Outline programme for the commission and confirmation that you can work to the
required timescale
• CV(s) of personnel who will deliver the services, demonstrating relevant experience
• Fee proposal. Please indicate a lump sum fee (excluding VAT, but including
expenses), and specify your daily rate(s) and VAT status.
• Two referees from recent commissions of a similar nature
Selection criteria
Tenders will be evaluated on a 30/70% cost/quality basis:
| Proven relevant track record of recent evaluation of similar engagement projects | 40% |
| CVs demonstrate appropriate skills & experience in the team | 15% |
| Appropriateness of the methodology and approach and ability to work to required timescale | 15% |
| Price | 30% |
Applications should be submitted to Lauren Henning (lauren.henning@thetallship.com) by 5pm on Friday 25 September.
Questions about the opportunity should be submitted by Monday 21 September.
Job Title: Project Officer
Responsible to: Learning and Museum Manager
Location: The Tall Ship Glenlee, Glasgow, with outreach delivery in local schools. Some development work may be undertaken on a hybrid basis.
Project Title: Sail the Future – STEM at Sea onboard The Tall Ship Glenlee
About the Tall Ship Glenlee:
The Tall Ship Glenlee Trust is a registered Scottish charity dedicated to preserving, maintaining and interpreting the last remaining Clydebuilt sailing ship of its kind still afloat in the UK. The Tall Ship is one of the city’s busiest, most vibrant visitor attractions, located in the heart of Glasgow at the Riverside Museum and River Clyde. Of the many hundreds of ships built in Glasgow’s shipyards, Glenlee is one of only four Clyde-built tall ships still afloat in the world today. We are an independent museum and venue committed to the preservation and interpretation of Glenlee and increasing awareness of Glasgow’s maritime history for the benefit of local people and visitors to Glasgow.
Sail the Future: STEM at Sea will be a dynamic learning and engagement programme centred on the historic Tall Ship Glenlee in Glasgow. We will use the ship’s heritage as a springboard to inspire young people with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills, while connecting these to the modern maritime sector’s transition to renewable energy. The programme will empower students from local schools in Govan and Partick to co-design and test new STEM workshops, ensuring that young people themselves help shape how engineering is represented and taught onboard. These workshops will then become a lasting resource for other schools and visiting groups to enjoy, enriching the ship as a cultural and educational attraction.
With funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Ingenious Fund, students from four local primary schools will co-produce a series of STEM workshops with professional engineers.
Key goals of the project are to:
• Inspire interest in STEM among young people, particularly those underrepresented in engineering pathways.
• Foster intergenerational learning by bringing school students together with maritime engineers and museum professionals.
• Create hands-on workshops aligned with the curriculum, using Glenlee’s history to explore STEM concepts in a real-world context.
• Promote environmental awareness and climate literacy by linking traditional sailing technologies to modern renewable energy solutions for shipping.
The expected impact of Sail the Future: STEM at Sea is to inspire the next generation of problem-solvers, build pride in Glasgow’s maritime heritage, and create a programme of high-quality curriculum-aligned workshops that will benefit schools across the city for years to come.
Outputs
Development
- Plan and develop a half-day training session for the engineers involved in the project. Training will cover the history of Glenlee, safeguarding expectations, inclusive communication techniques and active learning strategies.
- Develop three 60-minute co-development sessions for each participating school, incorporating the expertise and input of the engineers.
- Develop four fully resourced workshops, including all required equipment, workshop outlines and Curriculum for Excellence learning outcomes, ready to be promoted and delivered as part of the Learning Programme from August 2027.
Delivery
- Deliver a half-day training session for the engineers involved in the project.
- Lead three 60-minute co-development sessions with each of the four participating schools. Sessions will involve testing ideas, exploring and shaping themes, and prototyping activities. Students will actively influence the content and format of the workshops, working alongside engineers to ensure technical accuracy and authenticity.
- Lead and/or observe the four pilot workshops, gathering feedback and making any necessary adjustments to the content, activities and delivery approach.
Timeline and Budget:
Project Duration: September 2026 – June 2027
Proposed Timeline: Equivalent of one day a week over twenty weeks
Budget: 20 days at £250 per day
Person Specification
The Project Officer will have a strong background in science communication and engagement with both adults and young people.
Essential
- Experience delivering educational, heritage, museum or STEM engagement projects.
- Experience working with schools and young people.
- Strong organisational and project management skills.
- Excellent communication and facilitation skills.
- Ability to build positive relationships with a range of stakeholders.
- Experience collecting and reporting project data.
- Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Desirable
- Experience within museums, heritage or informal learning environments.
- Knowledge of STEM education and engineering engagement.
- Experience developing educational resources.
- Understanding of safeguarding requirements.
- Knowledge of maritime heritage or environmental sustainability themes.
How to apply
Please submit a CV and cover letter, including two examples of similar projects you have worked on, along with details of two referees.
Applications should be submitted to Lauren Henning (lauren.henning@thetallship.com) by 5pm on Friday 25 September.
Questions about the opportunity should be submitted by Monday 21 September.
We are delighted to announce that the Tall Ship Glenlee has been awarded funding through the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Ingenious public engagement programme.
This prestigious scheme supports innovative projects across the UK that connect the public with engineers and engineering, helping to inspire new audiences and broaden understanding of the profession.
Introducing STEM at Sea
Our funded project, STEM at Sea, will bring maritime engineering to life for young learners by working in partnership with local primary schools and Malin Group.
Together, we will co-produce a new suite of STEM-based workshops as part of Glenlee’s onboard learning programme. These sessions will use the ship itself as a hands-on learning environment, exploring the real engineering challenges behind her design, construction and operation.
Learning Through Heritage
Through STEM at Sea, pupils will:
- Discover the engineering principles behind historic sailing ships
- Take part in and design interactive, enquiry-led workshops onboard Glenlee
- Connect classroom STEM learning with real-world applications
- Engage directly with engineering professionals and maritime specialists
By collaborating with schools and industry partners, the project will ensure that the workshops are relevant, inspiring and shaped by the needs of both learners and educators.
Inspiring Future Engineers
Glenlee offers a unique platform to explore engineering through heritage. This funding will allow us to expand our learning offer and create meaningful opportunities for young people to engage with STEM in a creative and accessible way.
We hope that STEM at Sea will spark curiosity, build confidence, and encourage more young people to see engineering as something they can be part of.
We look forward to sharing more as the project develops.
https://raeng.org.uk/news/ingenious-round-20-awardee-announcement
On Wednesday, 11 March, the Tall Ship Glenlee was delighted to welcome representatives from the Spanish Navy and the Spanish Consul General based in Edinburgh on board the ship.
The visit celebrated Glenlee’s long and meaningful connection with Spain. From 1922, the ship served for sixty years under Spanish ownership as a training vessel for the Spanish Navy under the name Galatea. In June 1993, she returned to the River Clyde, where she had originally been built almost a century earlier.
The delegation was welcomed to Glasgow by the Lord Provost, Jacqueline McLaren, who presented the visitors with a tie made from Glasgow tartan as a gesture of civic hospitality. During their time on board, guests enjoyed a tour of the ship, sharing memories and stories connected to Glenlee’s long and varied history.
A highlight of the visit was a presentation by Captain Juan Escrigas Rodríguez of the Spanish Navy, who shared his research and historic photographs of the vessel during her years of Spanish service. Captain Escrigas has a particularly close personal connection to the ship. He is the grandson of two commanders of Galatea and has maintained strong professional and personal links with the vessel throughout his career.
A historian of the Spanish Navy, Captain Escrigas has written extensively on its history, including research on Galatea. He currently serves as Director of the Maritime Museum in Madrid, which holds an important collection of artefacts, photographs and archival material relating to the ship. Among his own personal collection is the original Glenlee ship’s bell from 1896, which was presented to his grandfather in the 1920s.
The visit also included presentations from Elizabeth Allen, Vice-Chair of the Tall Ship Glenlee Trust, and Museum Manager Lauren Henning, who shared updates on the restoration work that has taken place since the ship’s return to the Clyde and outlined the Trust’s priorities for the future.
The day celebrated the strong historical ties between Scotland and Spain through the story of Glenlee, while also marking the beginning of a renewed relationship between the Spanish Navy and the Tall Ship Glenlee Trust.
On Thursday, 16 July 1998, all three lower mast sections were successfully lifted and carefully slotted into position. Beneath the main mast, a small wooden box was ceremonially placed by Hamish Hardie and Jamie White. Inside were a 1998 gold sovereign and a silver dollar, along with a scroll acknowledging the members of the Trust and Ship Committee who had contributed to the restoration. The scroll also recorded thanks to the US National Park Service’s San Francisco Maritime Museum, which had granted Jamie a secondment to research, plan, and develop the restoration of the rig.
As this solemn ceremony took place, ten-year-old Tom Gibson stood proudly beside his grandad, Murray Scrimgeour, watching the mast being stepped. Suddenly realising he too had a shiny coin in his pocket, Tom made his own contribution—dropping a 10p coin into the mast step alongside the official box.
For the next 28 years, both the box and Tom’s coin remained safely hidden. Then, on Friday 16 January 2026, they were rediscovered during the lifting of the masts by TS Rigging. Tom, now an engineer with CalMac, was delighted to hear the news, saying, “I never thought I would see it again!”
During the current restoration, the box and its contents will be kept safe in the Museum store before being returned to their rightful place—perhaps accompanied by a new 2026 coin. And, of course, Tom’s coin will be put back too.
Placing coins beneath the main mast before stepping or lifting the masts is an ancient maritime tradition, believed to bring good luck to the ship.
On 3 December 1896, Glenlee first slipped into the water at Port Glasgow—beginning a remarkable life that would take her across the world’s oceans. Over the decades that followed, she sailed under several flags, weathered countless voyages, and served in roles her original builders could never have imagined.
In 1993, nearly a century after her launch, Glenlee finally came home to the Clyde. Since then, she has been lovingly restored and cared for as one of Scotland’s great maritime treasures.
As we mark 129 years since her launch, we invite you to celebrate with us by exploring a selection of photographs capturing Glenlee throughout her long and storied life.
We are delighted to announce that our very own volunteer John Aitken has been named Joint Winner of the 2025 Marsh Volunteer Individual Award, presented as part of this year’s National Historic Ships UK Awards.
The Awards celebrate outstanding contributions to maritime heritage across the UK, recognising the volunteers, organisations, and vessels working to keep historic ships alive for future generations. We are incredibly proud to see John recognised at a national level for the passion, skill, and warmth he brings to the Tall Ship Glenlee.
The Tall Ship Glenlee is proud to have long-standing ties to National Historic Ships UK, having previously been named Flagship of the Year in 2021 and recognised as part of the National Historic Fleet for her national significance.
John’s Contribution to Glenlee
Since joining the Tall Ship Glenlee Trust three years ago, John has become an integral part of our team. His engineering skills support vital maintenance work over the winter months, while in summer he can be found aboard the ship welcoming visitors and sharing his enthusiasm for Scotland’s maritime heritage.
He is also the beloved star of our festive programme—donning the Santa suit each Christmas to bring seasonal magic to families across Glasgow.
This award acknowledges the dedication, generosity, and joy he brings to everything he does, both behind the scenes and in the public eye. We couldn’t be more grateful.
A Well-Deserved Honour
The Marsh Volunteer Awards, run in partnership with the Marsh Charitable Trust, recognise exceptional individual and group volunteering within the UK’s historic vessel sector. Volunteers form the backbone of maritime heritage, and this award shines a spotlight on the vital contribution they make to keeping our ships afloat—literally and figuratively.
John’s award is supported by glowing endorsements from across the Glenlee team, celebrating both his technical expertise and his boundless enthusiasm for sharing the ship’s story.
Thank You, John
On behalf of everyone at the Tall Ship Glenlee Trust—congratulations, John, and thank you for all you do. This recognition is richly deserved, and we are honoured to have you as part of our crew.
Today, we share in the deep sadness felt around the world at the news that the historic vessel Falls of Clyde has been scuttled in Honolulu.
Built on the River Clyde in 1878, Falls of Clyde was a proud example of Scotland’s shipbuilding heritage and a symbol of the ingenuity, skill, and ambition that once made the Clyde the greatest shipbuilding river in the world. Her loss is a poignant reminder of how fragile our maritime heritage can be without sustained care, support, and investment.
Preserving ships like Glenlee requires not only technical expertise but also the dedication of volunteers, the commitment of communities, and the generosity of funders who understand that these vessels are living links to our past. The story of Falls of Clyde should strengthen our resolve to ensure that no other historic ship is left without the support it needs to survive. There are lessons to be learned here for all of us who care about our shared maritime story.
With the loss of Falls of Clyde, Glenlee now becomes one of only four Clydebuilt sailing ships of our type left afloat in the world. We will continue to honour her sister ships by safeguarding Glenlee for future generations, so that the legacy of the Clyde continues to inspire and endure.
— The Tall Ship Glenlee Team
This week, we had the pleasure of welcoming Rodney and Liz Jones to the Tall Ship Glenlee. Rodney is the grandson of Charles Sleggs, who served as Chief Officer of the Islamount between 1918 and 1919, before the ship passed into Italian ownership.
Rodney brought a wonderful gift with him: a beautifully framed photograph of his grandfather alongside his wife and eight daughters. He presented it to our Vice Chair, Elizabeth Allen, who gratefully accepted it on behalf of the Trust.
Over tea in the café, Liz shared her research into Charles Sleggs’ remarkable career. She told the story of 1918, when he stepped up to command the Islamount after the captain and much of the crew fell ill with “Java fever” shortly after leaving Indonesia.
Afterwards, we took Rodney and Liz on a tour of the Glenlee. Liz shared stories of life at sea in Sleggs’ time, bringing to life the challenges and experiences his generation of sailors faced.
We ended the morning feeling inspired, grateful, and glad to welcome Rodney and Liz as part of the Glenlee family.
We are deeply saddened to share the news of the death of our former Chair, Dr Christopher
Mason, in Lanzarote. The Tall Ship Glenlee Trust, along with our staff and volunteers, mourn
his passing.
Dr Mason worked tirelessly from 1991 until his retirement in 2012 to secure the restoration
and future of Glenlee. During that time, he witnessed the remarkable transformation of the
ship, brought back from Spain as a tired hulk, into the iconic landmark that today stands
proudly in front of the Riverside Museum.
Drawing on his experience as an academic lecturing in Economic History at the University of
Glasgow, his secondment to the Civil Service, and his thirty years as an elected
representative, first for Strathclyde Region and later as a Glasgow City Councillor for the
Liberal Party, he brought knowledge, imagination, and determination to his leadership of the
Clyde Maritime Trust Ltd. (now the Tall Ship Glenlee Trust Ltd.).
His vision and drive inspired others to join a long-term plan of restoration for this rare 19th-
century sailing cargo vessel, one of only five of its kind left in the world.
When Dr Mason retired in 2012, sailing westwards in his own yacht from Glenlee, many
were saddened to see him go but grateful for the dedication and care he had given both to the
ship and to the people involved in her story.
Beyond his work with Glenlee, Christopher Mason was noted for his commitment to
supporting people with autism, and in 2012, he was nominated as Glasgow’s Independent
Carer’s Champion. That same year, he was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday
Honours List for services to the tourism industry in Scotland, recognising his leadership as
Chairman of the Clyde Maritime Trust.
He also authored Five Thousand Days: The Voyages of the Clydebuilt Barque Glenlee
(Renamed Islamount 1899) under the Red Ensign 1897–1919, a comprehensive account of
the ship’s twenty-three years as a British trading vessel.