Olympic Champion Meets Farmers, Butchers and Pupils to support Scotch Lamb PGI

Double Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington pulled on a pair of wellies and joined a local farming family this week during a visit to raise the profile of the versatility of Scotch Lamb PGI.

Rebecca also visited Gavin Colquhoun and staff at Elderslie Butchers and then headed to Muirhouse Farm, Kilmacolm to learn about the quality assurance, traceability and animal welfare standards which underpin the iconic Scotch Lamb brand.

James and Wendy MacDougall and family run 540 North Country Cheviot ewes on the farm which is around 650 acres, including 200 acres rented. During the visit the Olympic champion joined the family, and collie Nell, to work with sheep on the farm.

Quality Meat Scotland, which organised the visit, is currently delivering a major “Wham Bam Thank You Lamb” marketing campaign behind Scotch Lamb, aimed at showcasing how simple, quick and versatile it is to cook.

Busy mum Rebecca, who is a huge fan of lamb, also visited East Fulton Primary School in Linwood to inspire pupils about the importance of a healthy diet and just how quick and easy it is to rustle up a tasty nutritious meal.

Gold medal winner and TV presenter Rebecca recognises the importance of beef, lamb and pork in a healthy diet.

She explained: “During my time as an elite athlete, lean red meat was a very important part of my diet. As an excellent source of protein, zinc and vitamins, it helped make sure my body had all the nutrients needed for training, competing and recovery.

“That’s just as important to my family’s balanced diet today, and the versatility of Scotch Lamb makes it the perfect component for a quick and healthy mid-week meal.”

Head Teacher Gillian Ward said it had been an absolute pleasure to have Rebecca visit the school.

“This was an amazing opportunity for the children to meet Rebecca who is such a fantastic role model. She was a natural when it came to interacting with the pupils and had no problem helping with the cooking and answering questions. She is welcome back at any time!”

Today’s visit by Rebecca also highlighted the importance of QMS’s  “School Meat Voucher Scheme” which was launched in response to concerns that tight budgets mean many Scottish schools are unable to afford fresh, red meat products for cookery lessons.

The meat vouchers are proving a huge success and Rebecca’s visit officially launched this year’s scheme. Every secondary school in Scotland is eligible to apply for a Scotch Lamb PGI voucher worth up to £100, helping to ensure pupils can leave school with the skills to cook simple, healthy meals.

Carol McLaren, Head of Communications at QMS said:  “Rebecca is a great ambassador for healthy eating and a huge fan of lamb and she was a true inspiration to the school children she met today.

“It’s been fantastic to be able to give her a better understanding of all the commitment involved in Scotch Lamb production. The MacDougall family were delighted with the level of interest she showed in all the attention to detail and hard work which goes into the Scotch Lamb brand.”