King Charles III recently paid a visit to a Lancashire mart where he met local farmers and rural organisations who are making a difference in their communities.
Clithroe Auction Mart played host to the king’s visit during his trip around Lancashire on Monday (February 9) earlier this week.
The king was welcomed to the livestock area at the mart, with local farmers displaying a range of rare breed cattle and native sheep, such as the Lonk and Derbyshire Gritstone.
As a patron of Rare Breed Survival Trust, King Charles discussed “the importance of rare breeds to sustainable farming, local heritage and rural economies” with farmers in attendance.
He also toured the mart’s rural business centre, which was established to give farmers convenient access to essential professional services, such as land agents, financial advisers, and lawyers.
Additionally, King Charles also met representatives from rural charitable organisations based at the mart and members of Lancashire’s rural policy team, who work closely with farmers to protect livestock, equipment, and land.
One of the charities that the king crossed paths with on the day was the Field Nurses, who provide mental health and wellbeing support to rural communities.
Since being founded in 2016, the Field Nurse Trust has allowed experienced, registered nurses to run drop-in sessions at livestock marts across Lancashire and South Cumbria, offering basic health checks, mental wellbeing support, and signposting to other services.
In the auction ring, the king was introduced to Fell pony, Pearl, who is related to the late Queen Elizabeth’s beloved pony, Emma.
The visit concluded with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque, followed by a short address from the chair of Clitheroe Auction Mart, Rod Spence.
Addressing the crowd around the ring, King Charles said: “It’s an enormous pleasure to be able to join you at the Auction Mart, when I’m sure you could be doing other things on your farms.
“The farming sector is vital to the economy and I wish you as successful a coming season as possible, weather permitting.”
As the founder of the Royal Countryside Fund, the king has been a strong advocate for agricultural communities.
“I hope the Countryside Fund is contributing to some degree to the welfare and adaptability of farmers and to the challenges and complications you have to meet,” King Charles added.
He also noted the “wonderful job” that the Field Nurses do by “absorbing the stresses and strains of farming.”
