From butchery demos to rugby star appearances connecting red meat to sporting performance, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has delivered a valuable range of community and education activity to around 7,000 children over term three and four of this year.
Across around 80 visits, Community Engagement Coordinator Abby Goldie worked alongside the Make it Scotch Ambassador network to deliver a variety of interactive events to pupils from Aberdeenshire to Dumfries and Galloway.
Between January and June, the programme delivered cookery demonstrations, food and farming days, Eat to Compete events and career events to help pupils develop practical food skills while learning about the nutritional benefits of Scotch red meat.
Abby Goldie, Community Engagement Coordinator at QMS said: “It has been all systems go over the last 6 months, delivering a variety of sessions right across the country. It has been great to engage with so many children to educate them on the journey of red meat and the importance of fuelling their bodies with Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Prime Scottish Pork.”
A particular highlight for pupils are the Eat to Compete sessions where they learn from our Make it Scotch Ambassadors about red meat’s role in sports nutrition, with appearances from Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors players.
Stranraer Academy gained first-hand knowledge from the players themselves, with Kerr Johnston and Harry Provan from Glasgow Warriors passing on their game-ready tips and tricks.
“This was an action-packed day for the School of Rugby pupils where they received a cookery demonstration, nutrition talk, personal training session, a Q&A with Glasgow Warrior players and some rugby skills & drills.
“It was amazing to see how engaged the pupils were throughout and based on the feedback, they thoroughly enjoyed their day and took a lot away from it,” Abby Goldie said.
QMS and our Make it Scotch Ambassadors’ also have a regular presence with the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET). At this year’s Royal Highland Show, we were visited by 16 schools who were educated on the farm to fork journey.
Sophia Perry, one of many Make it Scotch Ambassadors at the Royal Highland Show, has been an ambassador for around two years and was encouraged to join the programme through her passion for teaching and working with children.
Sophia Perry said: “I have genuinely loved every second of being a Make it Scotch Ambassador. It’s incredibly rewarding to help people understand where their food comes from and why Scotland’s red meat industry is so important”
With around 40 Make it Scotch Ambassadors located nationwide, there is plenty of opportunity for pupils and communities across the country to learn more about farming and where the Scotch Beef in their burger or Prime Scottish Pork in their sausages come from.
“Children are naturally curious, and what they learn in school often continues at home. They go on to share what they’ve learned with their parents, siblings and friends, helping to raise awareness of Scottish agriculture and the importance of supporting local farmers,” Sophia said.
With a degree in agriculture and a hand in running her family’s smallholding on the Isle of Arran, Sophia has particularly enjoyed sharing her love for the industry with younger pupils.
“One experience stayed with me after visiting a nursery in Peebles; the teacher contacted me to say that the children had gone home proudly showing their parents the Scotch logos on their aprons and explaining that they meant the meat came from Scotland, it was good quality, and the animals were well cared for.
“It showed me that even small conversations can make a lasting difference,” Sophia said
With some regions only represented by one or two ambassadors, there is clear potential to grow the network with more ambassadors as the programme looks ahead to its next phase of activity.
Abby said: “Our team of Make It Scotch Ambassadors have worked incredibly hard to deliver interesting and insightful sessions including cookery demonstrations, farm to fork talks and career fairs. The feedback received from teachers, pupils and parents has been fantastic and we can’t wait to get going again in August.”
January-June 2026 Community Engagement in numbers: