Latest news with #TheRoyalCountrysideFund
Daily Record
26-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Hamilton dairy farmers win Royal Countryside Fund Family Farm Award at the Royal Highland Show
The award celebrates family farms that combine long-term dedication to British agriculture with forward-thinking innovation, strong values and a commitment to the next generation. Third-generation dairy farmers from Hamilton have been named winners of the Royal Countryside Fund Family Farm Award at the 2025 M&S Select Farm Awards. Stuart and Jean Currie came out on top at the event which was held during the Royal Highland Show on June 19. Presented in partnership with the Royal Countryside Fund, the award celebrates family farms that combine long-term dedication to British agriculture with forward-thinking innovation, strong values and a commitment to the next generation. Farming has run through the Currie family for decades. Now joined by their children, Stuart and Jean continue to develop the 230-cow dairy herd with an unwavering focus on animal health, sustainability and community values. Their recent investments – including a curtain wall ventilation system in the milking shed and a fully redesigned calf shed – have helped create healthier, more comfortable living environments for their animals. These efforts are clearly paying off: the Curries have maintained exceptionally low anti-biotic use and have achieved good results in the regular mobility scoring, reflecting their proactive approach to welfare. Beyond this, it's their deeply personal connection to the farm and its future that stands out. Stuart Currie said: 'Our family all take our role in caring for the countryside seriously. We are proud to get this recognition from M&S and the Royal Countryside Fund.' Steve McLean, head of agriculture and fisheries at M&S, said: 'The Currie family are an example of what responsible, resilient British farming looks like. Their care, attention to detail and long-term mindset embody everything the Select Farm Awards were created to celebrate. We're incredibly proud to recognise their work at this year's Royal Highland Show.' Keith Halstead, executive director of The Royal Countryside Fund, added: 'I'm delighted to see the Currie family recognised with such a well-deserved award. It is a reminder of how commitment, care for the land and animals, and thoughtful investment can help build a resilient farm business. Their example offers real encouragement to other farming families who want to pass on not just a business, but a thriving, purposeful way of life to the next generation. 'As we celebrate our 15th anniversary, we also want to say a massive thank you to everyone at M&S who has supported our charity since 2010, demonstrating their continuing commitment to our partnership helping farmers to build a resilient future.' The Royal Countryside Fund, founded by HM King Charles III (then Prince of Wales), supports rural communities and family farms across the UK. M&S has been a partner of the Fund since its inception, helping to champion long-term sustainability, succession and innovation in British agriculture. The Family Farm Award recognises dairy, beef and sheep farms where dedication to welfare, the land and the future of farming are front and centre.
The Independent
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
King's ‘incredible sense of curiosity' praised during visit to soil exhibition
The curators of an exhibition celebrating the power and potential of soil have praised the King's 'incredible sense of curiosity' during his visit to a central London museum. Charles met farmers and artists as he toured the Soil: The World at Our Feet exhibition at Somerset House on Wednesday. He was also joined by families and representatives from The Royal Countryside Fund, a charity aimed at helping farms to be more sustainable, set up by him as the prince of Wales in 2010. Bridget Elworthy, curator of the exhibition, said: 'For a long time he's been our number one soil hero, so to have him come in to celebrate this exhibition has been so exciting. 'The whole point of this exhibition was to get the wonder of soil out to as many people as possible, so having someone like the King come has been a huge thrill.' She added: 'I'm sure he's engaged in so many things because he has such an incredible sense of curiosity and he's so polite. But I feel like he was definitely really interested.' Co-curator Henrietta Courtauld added: 'He has such an interest and understands the importance of nature and working with nature and that's so close to our hearts and values as well. 'There's an area in the exhibition where you can actually smell the soil and he would smell that himself when he's out in the garden and how that makes you feel so good.' Charles also unveiled a plaque in the newly refurbished Salt Stair to mark the visit and the 25th anniversary of Somerset House. As he unveiled the plaque he remarked, 'that's an interesting way of doing it', referring to the cover of the plaque which he was required to pull off. Speaking to farming families, he asked what type of farming they undertook, their ambitions for the future and how they had heard about the Royal Countryside Fund. Moving around the various displays, the King was particularly interested in Jo Pearl's Unearthed Mycelium ceramic, asking how she made the piece and what it was made out of. He joked: 'So how many went wrong before you got it right?' She assured him only once. Speaking to various artists, Charles told the director of the exhibition: 'It's remarkable how you have done it all.' Charles also met Helen Browning, farmer and chief executive of the Soil Association, who he hugged fondly. Leaving Somerset House, Charles joked 'you have to be very fit' after climbing the stairs. He was then met with crowds cheering and clapping outside the building. One person was heard to shout: 'We love you.' He was waved off by the cheering crowd.
