Bob Kennard awarded NSA Unsung Hero award

The Nationwide Sheep Affiliation (NSA) has named Bob Kennard because the 2022 recipient of its NSA Bob Payne Unsung Hero award.

The award is specifically chosen from amongst the a whole lot of volunteers and officeholders who’re on the coronary heart of the work of NSA.

Bob was recognised for his work alongside NSA on a number of key initiatives which have helped to advertise artisan sheep meat merchandise, making certain continued consumption of mutton.

In addition to this Bob has been relentless in his marketing campaign to make sure the way forward for small, unbiased abattoirs.

NSA chief government Phil Stocker mentioned: “There couldn’t be a extra worthy winner of the NSA’s 2022 Bob Payne Memorial Award for our unsung hero than Bob Kennard.

“Bob has labored tirelessly and effectively past expectations on our work to create alternatives for, and to make sure a future for Britain’s native sheep breeds by means of NSA’s work on the British Heritage Sheep mission.

“We nonetheless have a protracted option to go together with this initiative, but it surely holds large potential in my view, and when it begins actually bearing fruit will probably be right down to Bob’s tenacity, dedication, and willpower.”

Bob’s profession has seen him working within the meat business for a few years together with the event of one of many first natural meat companies within the UK.

Along with his enterprise completely depending on small native abattoirs, Bob was quickly alerted to the difficulties they confronted as an growing quantity closed as a result of spiralling prices of laws.

This led Bob to write down a report highlighting their dramatic decline for the Soil Affiliation and a subsequent comply with up report with the Sustainable Meals Belief.

His work on this space continues as small abattoir numbers are nonetheless declining. With out these abattoirs there may be no absolutely traceable native meat, native meals initiatives will likely be misplaced, in addition to a helpful revenue for a lot of farmer-retailers.

Bob labored alongside NSA within the promotion of mutton and is now concerned within the British Heritage Sheep mission selling the UK’s distinctive variety of sheep meat, significantly the native breeds.

The scheme continues to be underneath growth however has to this point acquired very optimistic assist from all points of the availability chain, from producers to shoppers.

On receiving the award, Bob mentioned:

“I really feel very honoured to have been given the NSA Bob Payne award. I’m proud to have been concerned with NSA by means of my work.

“NSA helps so many sheep farmers and helps the business in so some ways, usually unseen. I’ve little question Phil Stocker and his workers will assist steer the sheep sector by means of these turbulent and unpredictable occasions.”