Ebworth Centre, Gloucestershire

Nestling in the Cotswold Hills, the National Trust’s Ebworth Centre manages ‘The Cotswold Grazing Project’ in partnership with Natural England. This far-sighted project is demonstrating how to manage important wildlife-rich Cotswold grassland by grazing cattle. The project has already helped return hundreds of acres of neglected scrub grassland into grazed areas now supporting the natural plants and wildlife that depend on them.

When the project was set up in 2001, the National Trust wanted to show that the standards they aim for in conservation were matched by their standards for animal welfare – and that’s where Freedom Food came in.

“Given that the National Trust is very supportive of the higher welfare aims of Freedom Food, having the stringent guidelines to work to help us to achieve our project aims and produce great beef” says stockman Matt Stanway.

Giving our animals the best possible care is integral to the success of the project. With the support of the RSPCA monitored food labelling scheme, we’ve been able to show the public that we farm to the highest welfare standards and give them added confidence in our produce.

As a result, the project has found success in protecting and increasing areas of Cotswold grassland by grazing cattle and rearing higher welfare animals at the same time. The local restaurants they supply with fine beef, and the regular customers of their Freedom Food labelled boxed meat service, are testimony to that success.