QMS delivers wide-ranging community and education outreach to 1,900 people this term

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has delivered another impactful term of nationwide community and education activity between October and December, engaging more than 1,900 children, young people and adults in a diverse programme of events focused on food, farming and the role of high-quality Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork.

From nurseries and primary schools to careers events, women’s groups and rural conferences, the QMS team travelled across Scotland to inspire confidence in cooking, support learning, and highlight the value of Scotland’s quality assurance standards.

This term included six school visits in South Queensferry, Dingwall, Aberlour, Glasgow, Keith and Stirling, where 137 pupils took part in interactive cookery demonstrations and discussions on animal welfare, nutrition and the journey from farm to fork. A further 22 children were involved in QMS’s first-ever nursery session at Apple Tree Nursery on Bute, where early-years pupils learned about where their food comes from and helped prepare Scotch Lamb nachos. The nursery also became the first to explore the new QMS Nursery Box, filled with farming-themed books, toys, dress-up items and activities to support hands-on learning.

QMS contributed to four RHET Food and Farming Days across Wick, Stirling and Fife, reaching more than 800 primary pupils, and supported two Developing the Young Workforce “Positive Futures” events in Newton Stewart and Dumfries, where over 800 secondary pupils learned about the wide variety of careers available within Scotland’s red meat supply chain.

Feedback from pupils and teachers has been extremely positive. Queensferry High School described their session as “highly interactive, educational and enjoyable from start to finish.” Pupils at Botriphnie Primary said: “Those of us who were not keen on lamb are now going to be cooking with it at home!”

Apple Tree Nursery also shared their enthusiasm: “Preparing Scotch Lamb mince nachos not only introduced the children to a nutritious Scottish ingredient but encouraged them to explore new foods confidently and their comments afterwards showed just how positive their interaction with Scotch Lamb was.

“The children gained a clear understanding of how meat is produced responsibly here in Scotland… your explanation of the Scotch labels sparked genuine interest among the children.”

Beyond schools, QMS continued to support community groups and rural networks. At the Women in Agriculture Conference in Culross, Scotch Ambassador Daniela Forbes delivered a Scotch Lamb cookery demonstration to 70 women, with many leaving inspired to try cooking with lamb at home. QMS also participated in Boroughmuir Rugby Club’s Eat to Compete event in Edinburgh, where 20 women and girls learned how nutrition supports performance, recovery and overall wellbeing. One participant commented: “Really made me think about my nutrition!”

The term also included activity at the Scottish Association of Young Farmer Clubs (SAYFC) Agri & Rural Affairs Conference in Ayr, engaging 50 young farmers and industry partners, and a red meat careers session with Midlothian Council’s Parental Employability Group in Dalkeith, supporting eight parents exploring sector opportunities.

Tracy Martin, Reputation Manager at QMS, said: “This term has been incredibly busy, but the feedback from young people, teachers and community groups has been fantastic. Whether it’s teaching early-years pupils where their food comes from, supporting career pathways, or giving women and girls confidence in the kitchen, it’s brilliant to see such enthusiasm for learning about high-quality Scottish produce.”

QMS will continue its outreach programme into 2026, developing resources and strengthening connections with communities across Scotland.