Lincolnshire’s Tegan Dowler has been elected Chair of Young RBST, the national group for young members of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST).
Young RBST is the charity’s group for people between 18 and 35 years old who have an interest in rare and native breeds. The group provides a network of advice and support for conservation and farming; a programme of online and face to face as social events and seminars; and a strong voice for young people within RBST.
Tegan became interested in action for the survival of the UK’s rare and native breeds of livestock as a teenager, helping with the native British Longhorn cattle and rare North Ronaldsay sheep on her family’s farm in Lincolnshire. She became Vice-Chair of Young RBST in 2021, and remains an active member of RBST’s East of England Support Group alongside her role leading the Young RBST group.
Young RBST Chair Tegan Dowler said: “I am thrilled to become Chair of Young RBST. The group creates an important network for younger people involved in rare breed farming and conservation who are encountering similar experiences and opportunities.
“The survival of our rare native breeds of livestock and equines into the future matters because breeds like the Lincoln Longwool sheep and British Saddleback pig are not only part of our heritage but they also have so much to bring to a sustainable future where farming supports the natural environment. The UK’s native breeds each have their own set of characteristics and distinctive features, our North Ronaldsay sheep for example have a beautiful range of colours in their fleece, they are very hardy and they all have really individual characters.
“We are planning a great programme of events for 2023, from technical workshops on Zoom, to farm visits and social events in person. You don’t need to be keeping rare breeds already to join the group, we welcome anyone who would like to know more about these breeds and their future.”
To find out more or enquire about joining the group, please email youngrbst@gmail.com.
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