Quality Meat Scotland, which organised the visit, is currently delivering a major “Wham Bam Thank You Lamb” marketing campaign behind Scotch Lamb, aimed at showcasing how simple, quick and versatile it is to cook.

During the visit, busy mum Rebecca, who is a huge fan of lamb, inspired primary four and five pupils at East Fulton Primary School in Linwood about the importance of a healthy diet and just how quick and easy it is to rustle up a tasty nutritious meal.

Gold medal winner and TV presenter Rebecca recognises the importance of beef, lamb and pork in a healthy diet.

She explained: “During my time as an elite athlete, lean red meat was a very important part of my diet. As an excellent source of protein, zinc and vitamins, it helped make sure my body had all the nutrients needed for training, competing and recovery.

“That’s just as important to my family’s balanced diet today, and the versatility of Scotch Lamb makes it the perfect component for a quick and healthy mid-week meal.”

Head Teacher Gillian Ward said it had been an absolute pleasure to have Rebecca visit the school.

“This was an amazing opportunity for the children to meet Rebecca who is such a fantastic role model. She was a natural when it came to interacting with the pupils and had no problem helping with the cooking and answering questions. She is welcome back at any time!”

Rebecca also travelled to nearby Muirhouse Farm, Kilmacolm to meet the MacDougall family and learn more about the quality assurance, traceability and animal welfare standards which underpin the iconic Scotch Lamb brand.

James MacDougall and his family run 540 North Country Cheviot ewes on the farm which is around 650 acres, including 200 acres rented.

Today’s visit by Rebecca also highlighted the importance of QMS’s  “School Meat Voucher Scheme” which was launched in response to concerns that tight budgets mean many Scottish schools are unable to afford fresh, red meat products for cookery lessons.

The meat vouchers are proving a huge success and Rebecca’s visit officially launched this year’s scheme. Every secondary school in Scotland is eligible to apply for a Scotch Lamb PGI voucher worth up to £100, helping to ensure pupils can leave school with the skills to cook simple, healthy meals.

Carol McLaren, Head of Communications at QMS said:  “Rebecca is a great ambassador for healthy eating and a huge fan of lamb and she was a true inspiration to the school children she met today.

“It’s been fantastic to be able to give her a better understanding of all the commitment involved in Scotch Lamb production. The MacDougall family were delighted with the level of interest she showed in all the attention to detail and hard work which goes into the Scotch Lamb brand.”

Home Economics teachers across Scotland should apply for their voucher before 31 December 2016 via the QMS website: www.qmscotland.co.uk by clicking on Health and Education/Schools.