A SCOUT group in Perth is gearing up to support the #LambForStAndrewsDay campaign to make Scotch Lamb the national dish for St Andrew’s Day with an overnight camp and cookout at a Perthshire hill farm.

The Riverside Explorer Scouts will receive a locally sourced lamb from United Auctions, Scotland’s leading livestock auctioneers who reignited the campaign in 2019.

Since then, it’s gone from strength to strength with this year’s campaign set to see thousands of consumers and more than 30,000 school children eating lamb as part of St Andrew’s Day events, thanks to the ongoing support of industry bodies the Institute of Auctioneers and Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) as well as farming communities across Scotland.

Read more: In the lamb-light: Scotch Lamb for St Andrew’s Day

The 35 young explorers will be camping at Greenhill, Dunning, where they will be challenged to dish up two recipes - Scotch Lamb and crushed Garlic Pea Wrap and Oaty Scotch Lamb Burger with minty cucumber relish – using their campfire cooking skills.

The recipes have been designed by the QMS Health and Education Team as part of their ‘Farming Foodsteps’ initiative, which charts the journey Scottish red meat makes from farm to fork. They have also been circulated to the 30,000 home economic students participating in #LambForStAndrewsDay.

Alix Ritchie from the QMS Education Team said: “The campaign will enable us to engage with young people and stimulate discussion and deeper thinking around labelling and food choices. The Scotch Difference goes beyond the farm. From animal welfare and sustainability to a whole-life assurance programme, we support Scotch Lamb PGI that’s produced to an uncompromisingly high standard.”

Stuart Joughin, one of the Scout leaders at Riverside Explorers, said: “We’ve been involved in this campaign since 2019 as it’s such a great opportunity for the Explorers to better understand rural communities and farming life. The opportunity to cook the lamb using only their ingenuity will help them develop more skills and understanding on where food comes from, the sustainability of Scottish agriculture, as well as having to cook their own dinner.”

Read more: Farmers urged to donate to lamb bank

“The aim of the #LambForStAndrewsDay campaign is simple: we want to make Scotch Lamb synonymous with celebrating St Andrew’s Day,” said Christopher Sharp, group director of United Auctions.

He added: “This is a perfect collaboration between Scouting and Farming. What better setting than a Perthshire hill farm to help the group appreciate the work and effort that goes into this amazing and sustainable product.”

Anyone can get involved with the #LambForStAndrewsDay campaign by visiting your local butcher to buy Scotch Lamb. You can also download the recipes via https://makeitscotch.com/lamb-recipes/