Sutherland crofter elected to north board of British Wool
A SUTHERLAND crofter has been elected as the northern regional board member for British Wool.
Rosie Keenan, of Strathnaver, will serve a three-year term in office, starting on April 1.
British Wool (formerly the British Wool Marketing Board) is the farmers’ organisation that collects, grades, and markets British wool on behalf of producers.
The organisation is headquartered in Bradford, with small regional offices in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland and country offices in Japan and China.
Originally from Lochearnhead, Perthshire, Ms Keenan runs a flock of Cheviot ewes and Belted Galloway cows with her partner.
She previously spent 10 years working as a wool handler around the world - wool handlers regulate the flow of sheep to be shorn, keep the shearing shed clean and tidy, and assist with wool clip preparation.
Her wool handling skills have won her a number of accolades, and she reached the pinnacle when she won first place in the individual wool handling competition at the 2023 Golden Shears World Sheep Shearing and Woolhandling Championships, held at the Royal Highland Show.
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She had previously won the silver medal at the 2019 championships in Le Dorat, France.
In August last year she was awarded the ultimate honour of becoming a Master Woolhandler, along with Scottish shearing stalwart Alison McNeil.
Ms Keenan said she was delighted to have been elected to represent the Scottish northern members and thanked everyone who voted for their support.
Her aim is to support and strengthen the relationship between British Wool and its farmer members and to educate people about the importance of wool as an environmentally friendly fibre.
“I look forward to using my knowledge and experience to give sheep farmers a strong voice and representation on the Board of British Wool,” she said.
British Wool is owned by around 35,000 sheep farmers in the UK.
