RETURNING for its sixth year, Love Lamb Week will celebrate all that is good about UK produced Lamb next month, with industry support greater than ever.

Since its launch in 2015, the National Sheep Association (NSA) has worked alongside others to highlight the week-long campaign, which runs from September 1 to September 7 each year. The campaign will once again promote the qualities of British Lamb, as well as for the first time highlighting the key message of the sustainable values lamb brings to the dinner table.

The initiative is supported by levy boards AHDB in England, HCC in Wales, QMS in Scotland and LMC in Northern Ireland, as well as NSA, National Farmers’ Union (NFU), Ulster Farmers’ Union and Red Tractor. There is also support from butchers, chefs and retailers to encourage consumers to try all things lamb.

Love Lamb Week 2020 will focus on emphasising the nutritional benefits of lamb and its role in sustainable meat production.

Each year, NSA Next Generation Ambassadors gather together to show their support for the campaign that hopes to ensure a successful future for their industry. Covid-19 may have put a stop to the ambassadors' gatherings, but it has not dampened their enthusiasm for the important campaign.

NSA Next Generation Ambassador Jack Charleton, who works as Assistant Farm Manager at the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire, said: "I am looking forward to supporting Love Lamb Week because I am proud to produce British lamb. It’s high quality, traceability and sustainability assure the British public that they are buying high standard produce whilst supporting hard working British farmers.”

Love Lamb Week was set up by Rachel Lumley, a passionate Cumbrian sheep farmer, who very sadly passed away earlier this year. Rachel was the driving force behind the campaign’s launch, wanting lamb to get the attention it deserves. Through her leadership, as well as solid external support, Love Lamb Week has caught the attention of top chefs from across the world, as well as national press and broadcast media.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said: “NSA, as the voice for UK sheep farmers, has been proud to be involved with Love Lamb Week since the beginning. Rachel did a fantastic job in bringing the campaign to the notability it has today. All at NSA are proud to support and continue to build on the fantastic legacy Rachel started.”

An array of new digital-friendly assets have been developed to help promote this year’s campaign to encourage even more producers, chefs, butchers, retailers and wider industry to promote the qualities of lamb. These include new and improved lamb guides, delicious recipe images and posters, and health and environment infographics, as well as cookery demonstrations, chef engagement and social media activities.

More than 3,000 butcher's kits containing a poster and recipe cards have also been developed and sent to high-street butchers and farm shops. There are also Urdu-translated kits arriving at Halal butchers across the country.

Social media users can get involved by using the hashtags #LoveLamb and #MakeitLamb, to share pictures and videos to inspire others to embrace the week-long celebration.

This year’s campaign introduces the final wave of the successful joint AHDB, HCC and QMS ‘Make it Lamb’ campaign, which runs from September 1 to October 26.

Will Jackson, AHDB’s strategy director for Beef and Lamb, said: “Given the difficult year so far, Love Lamb Week comes on the back of a buoyant time for the sector, with increased sales in-store, which has seen mince, chops and steaks being used in more home cooked meals all over the country.

“However, there is still more we can do to demonstrate lamb’s brilliance. We want consumers to see that lamb doesn’t just hit you in the chops with flavour but is also nutritious and sustainable.

“Sheep have a really unique role in being able to live in our most extreme landscapes and convert grass into delicious and versatile meat. Not only that, they aid biodiversity and maintain our most beloved landscapes. Without them our countryside would be a very different place.”

To see the resources available to download and to help you get involved with Love Lamb Week or to learn more about the campaign, visit www.nationalsheep.org.uk/lovelamb.