QMS Make it Scotch Ambassadors reach 7000 schoolchildren

Between January and June, QMS community engagement coordinator Abby Goldie and around 40 Make it Scotch Ambassadors visited schools and community events from Aberdeenshire to Dumfries and Galloway, delivering around 80 sessions designed to help young people better understand Scottish agriculture and the journey of red meat from farm to fork.

The programme included cookery demonstrations, food and farming days, Eat to Compete sports nutrition sessions, careers events and farm-to-fork talks, giving pupils practical food skills while highlighting the nutritional benefits of Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork.

Abby Goldie said the past six months had been particularly busy, with the team travelling across the country to engage with thousands of pupils.

"It has been all systems go over the last six 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."

One of the most popular activities has been the Eat to Compete programme, which links healthy eating with sporting performance through appearances from professional rugby players.

At Stranraer Academy, Glasgow Warriors players Kerr Johnston and Harry Provan joined pupils from the school's rugby programme for a day combining cookery demonstrations, sports nutrition advice, fitness training, a question-and-answer session and rugby coaching.

Ms Goldie said: "This was an action-packed day where pupils received a cookery demonstration, nutrition talk, personal training session, a Q&A with Glasgow Warriors players and some rugby skills and 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."

QMS and the Make it Scotch Ambassadors also worked closely with the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET), including welcoming 16 school groups to this year's Royal Highland Show, where pupils learned more about the farm-to-fork journey and Scottish food production.

Make it Scotch Ambassador Sophia Perry, who has been involved with the programme for around two years, said she had found the role highly rewarding.

"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," she said.

With a degree in agriculture and experience helping to run her family's smallholding on Arran, Ms Perry said introducing younger children to farming had been one of the highlights of the role.

She recalled a visit to a nursery in Peebles where children had continued discussing what they had learned after returning home.

"The teacher contacted me to say 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."

She added that children often become enthusiastic ambassadors for Scottish farming within their own families.

"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."

QMS currently has around 40 Make it Scotch Ambassadors based across Scotland, although some regions are represented by only one or two volunteers, highlighting opportunities to expand the network in the future.

Ms Goldie said the positive feedback received from schools, pupils and parents had demonstrated the value of the programme.

"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."

From January to June this year, the programme delivered 42 cookery demonstrations, 16 RHET food and farming days, six Eat to Compete sessions, four careers events, three farm-to-fork talks and a Sky Sports Cup Final event, alongside appearances at a range of agricultural events including the Royal Highland Show, Scotsheep, Be A Farmer and FITFEST.