British Wool has launched an ambassador programme, enlisting two representatives per nation across the UK — including one farmer from Launceston.

British Wool’s six ambassador roles will be to support the organisation and fibre through good advocacy and best practices, encouraging farmers to be stronger together by supporting British Wool. The ambassadors’ passion for the industry will also hopefully work to motivate the next generation while also flying the flag for British Wool in their specific areas.

In England, Matt Smith, who farms near Launceston, is a nine-hour world ewe shearing record holder and Susie Parish, British Wool’s first female shearing instructor — both are set to take on the mantle.

Susie Parish won the Farmers Weekly Farm Diversification Award with The Grey Sheep an on-farm mill which sells wool across the UK and globally. Based in Hampshire, she has previously promoted shearing, wool and its many uses on many prime-time TV and radio shows.

Matt, another Farmers Weekly award winner taking the sheep farmer of the year title in 2017, farms with his wife Pip in Cornwall, running 1,200 Romney ewes alongside deer and cattle. A New Zealander, Matt has shorn around the world as well as being a world record holder.

Kate Drury, English Central board member and chair of the member engagement committee, said: “We are thrilled with the standard and talent of our ambassadors. Both are extremely skilled, passionate, and knowledgeable individuals who can bring a lot to what we do here at British Wool.”

On top of helping to promote the British Wool across its different media platforms, the ambassadors will also gain useful insight into the governance of the organisation and what goes into marketing its members’ wool.

Kate said: “British Wool is owned by approximately 35,000 sheep farmers in the UK. We collect, grade, market and sell wool on behalf of our members to the international wool textile industry for use in flooring, furnishings, and new innovations.

“As a collective marketing organisation, everything British Wool does is about adding value to our members’ wool and we look forward to working with our ambassadors in promoting this to a much wider audience.”