ߣsir��Ƶ

From whisky to seafood, ߣsir��Ƶ and Bute is renowned for its exceptional local produce. Now, in a UK first, ߣsir��Ƶ and Bute Council is introducing local wild venison to school menus on Islay and Jura.

The pilot project is a collaboration between the council and Wild Jura, a new business founded by Cath and Andy McCallum. Recognising the high demand for local venison on the islands, they established Wild Jura to include commercial butchery and processing facilities, enabling local communities to enjoy the bounty on their doorstep. The wild venison comes from Ardlussa, Barnhill, Tarbert and Ruantallain Estates.

Children from Small Isles Primary on Jura played a key role in product testing, with their favourite dishes—wild venison meatballs and burgers—now featured on the school menu. Venison is a nutrient-dense food, rich in protein and low in saturated fat, making it a healthy addition to school meals. The new menu items are available in Jura and Islay Primary Schools and Islay High School.

Councillor Ross Moreland, ߣsir��Ƶ and Bute Council's Policy Lead for Finance and Commercial ߣsir��Ƶ, said:

“We’re thrilled to introduce wild venison to our school menus on Islay and Jura. It’s a no-brainer to make the most from such high-quality, locally sourced produce. The demand for local wild venison has always been high, but without butchery facilities, it wasn’t feasible until Wild Jura came along.

Our pupils have been integral to this pilot, from learning about sustainable produce to testing dishes and deciding what to add to the menu. As we work towards creating a climate friendly ߣsir��Ƶ and Bute, this is a fantastic example of field-to-fork quality local food that eliminates air miles and is cost-effective.”

Andy and Cath McCallum from Wild Jura added:

"We are delighted to be supplying Wild Jura venison to the six schools on Jura and Islay. This has been a fantastic and unwaveringly positive collaboration between the catering department of ߣsir��Ƶ and Bute Council, the Soil Association and us, with valuable help from the children and teachers at Small Isles Primary School and our own, very exacting, three-strong tasting panel at home.

As we all become more aware of the benefits of fewer and fresher ingredients in our foods, it is great to see the council offering our products in their school meals. Food miles are extremely low, processing is minimal and additional ingredients are organic or free range. We are grateful that these benefits are recognised and are now being enjoyed by local children, whom we have a collective responsibility to feed with care."

Feedback from children at Small Isles Primary School on Jura:

‘Having venison for the first time in school was great, especially because it’s locally sourced and good for the environment and everyone absolutely loved it!’  - Ruby

‘I loved the venison burger because it was so good and tasted amazing. It was also great to be part of the taste testing!’ - Joseph

‘The Wild Jura venison is amazing. It’s so much nicer than a normal burger. It’s locally sourced from our beautiful Isle of Jura, going straight from the hill to your plate! At first I wasn’t a big fan of venison but tasting the burgers and meatballs has completely changed my view. Also having a taste testing session really helped with knowing what I liked.’ - Grace

‘It’s the best burger’ - Rosie

‘I loved it! It was the first time I tried it!’ - Poppy

‘9/10, it was very tasty’ - Matthew

‘It was really good, 100/100!’ - Maja

The council worked with Food for Life Scotland to develop recipes that comply with Scottish Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools and the Food for Life Served Here standards.

Looking ahead, the council will monitor the project and is keen to explore further opportunities across ߣsir��Ƶ and Bute and potentially expand this initiative to more schools.