The Prince of Wales visited Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park on July 1, to highlight the important work of RBST-accredited farm parks in the survival of British rare breeds, and to encourage visitors to return to farm parks as they reopen today.

Having been closed for months, farm parks have lost visitor income while still meeting the usual costs of housing, feeding and caring for their animals.

Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) is the national charity that works to secure the future of rare breed livestock and equines, and The Prince of Wales has been its patron since 1986.

Cotswold Farm Park is one of the 21 RBST accredited farm parks which look after some of the UK’s most rare and critically endangered breeds of farm animals.

Adam Henson, of Cotswold Farm Park said:“It was a great honour to welcome The Prince of Wales to Cotswold Farm Park.

"His Royal Highness is incredibly knowledgeable about farming, food production and rural tourism, he voiced his encouragement that multi-generational families should get back out into the fresh air to enjoy everything that the countryside brings.

"He was particularly impressed by our campsite and new sunset lodges and the importance of staycations to rural businesses."

Christopher Price, Chief Executive of Rare Breeds Survival Trust, said: “The 21 RBST-accredited farm parks look after some of our rarest native breeds and are vital to ensuring their survival for the future.

"They all participate in crucial conservation breeding programmes as well as promoting the benefits of native breeds. The coming few months are going to be very difficult for farm parks and as they make plans to reopen safely, we can all support them and the conservation of rare breeds by visiting as soon as we can and going back regularly throughout the year to watch the animals change and grow.

"I am grateful to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales for all his support for the survival of rare breed livestock and equines, and I thank Adam Henson and Cotswold Farm Park for hosting the visit today.”

Across England, farm parks are reopening today. To ensure social distancing, visitors can expect a mix of additional measures including online tickets to control numbers, staggered arrival times to assist social distancing, increased reminders to wash and sanitise hands throughout the visit, and for the farm’s attraction staff to carry out more regular cleaning and hygiene regimes.

Farm parks are already well equipped for hygiene with multiple handwash stations onsite equipped with soap and hot running.