HRH The Prince of Wales attended Dolgellau Livestock Mart on Friday to promote the work of his Countryside Fund.

Prince Charles spent five days in Wales last week to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his investiture.

He visited Cardiff, Llantrisant, Bridgend, Llandovery, Swansea, Carmarthen, Llanarthne, New Tredegar, Abergavenny, Brecon, Trawsfynydd, Machynlleth, Mallwyd and Dolgellau.

In Dolgellau he met farmers participating in The Prince’s Farm Resilience Programme, and launched his Fund’s upcoming Auction Mart research.

The programme helps farming families prepare for the future through a series of free business skills workshops. The Dolgellau group of farmers took part in the new ‘Managing your Farmed Environment’ workshop, which will help prepare them for potential changes to future agricultural policy, in particular, opportunities for developing their business through environmental land management practices.

The interactive workshop introduces new concepts, encouraging cultural change in the way farmers think about their farmed environment.

Charles met the Dolgellau programme coordinator, Wyn Owen, and the consultant who ran the workshop, Sarah Brockless, and then had a discussion and question and answer session with some of the programme farmers.

He then launched the Fund’s Auction Marts Research, and met some of the team who are carrying it out: Professor Michael Winters of the University of Exeter and Christopher Dodds from the Livestock Auctioneers Association. The Fund’s three-year project is looking at how the vital social role of markets can be supported.

Professor Winters said: “I am delighted to be working with The Prince’s Countryside Fund in research to examine the future for the UK’s livestock markets.

“Auction markets have long played an important role in rural areas. Not only are they places where livestock are bought and sold, but they also provide an opportunity for farmers to meet socially. But the number of livestock markets has declined and it is timely to examine their future and how they can adapt to changing times.”

See this week’s north editions for the full story, in shops and online tomorrow