Lord Hopetoun was delighted to be asked to open the new Lowther and District Men’s Shed in Leadhills on 16th July 2025. The opening followed two and a half years of concerted effort by Nigel Davies and the Men’s Shed committee. It started when Nigel picked up a copy of the South Lanarkshire Seniors Together magazine and read about the Men’s Sheds in the area. At around the same time he heard through the local drums that Lowther Ski Club had closed and its clubhouse sitting empty. From there began the journey of moving the building from 2500 feet up on Lowther Hill into the centre of Leadhills Village to provide a valuable facility for the community.
The ambitious and complex project has required a huge collaborative support from many sources including Lanarkshire Community Led Development, Clyde wind farm, SSE Renewable Energy Fund, Scottish Power Energy Networks, Lottery Community Fund, Robertson Trust, Leadhills Community Council and a great team of architects, professional advisors and contractors, and of course the members of the group. The estate was delighted to support the project through facilitating the transfer of the ski club hut from Lowther Hill Ski Club and through provision of a site for the Men’s Shed in Leadhills village.
The Shed aims to reduce isolation and develop the capacity of individuals to contribute to physical and mental wellbeing. www.lowthermensshed.co.uk .
