Best of British - wedding bells, bunting and beef

As Royal Wedding fever looks set to grip the nation – and maybe a street near you –Ladies in Beef is launching the first ever Great British Beef Week.

This week aims to promote all that is good about British beef. Using a country-wide network of all-women, dynamic beef champions, the team is calling on shoppers to embrace the patriotic mood and buy British.

Co-founder of Ladies in Beef, Minette Batters, believes the Royal Wedding offers a great chance for consumers to get behind the campaign, string up some bunting and enjoy British beef.

"We have already received a royal seal of approval when Her Royal Highness, The Princes Royal, attended the launch of Ladies in Beef last month," said Wiltshire farmer Minette. "With the Royal Wedding we see a great opportunity for shoppers to support the campaign. Whether it’s buying burgers for the BBQ, planning a street party or sharing a meal with friends, lots of people will be celebrating the Royal Wedding."

Great British Beef Week is also the first grassroots initiative to garner support from independent butchers and major retailers. Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose have all agreed to add their weight to the inaugural week by carrying special on-pack Great British Beef Week logos. Minette praised the positive feedback they had so far received.

"We are over the moon at the response we’ve had from such major retailers," she said. "Just the fact that these big players have signed up goes to show how much they really understand what we are trying to achieve. This recognition has been demonstrated by the retailers funding the Great British Beef Week in-store promotions, which is a huge plus for us.

"We all care very passionately about British beef and this work will continue long after Great British Beef Week is over. For us, this is just the start of helping consumers really understand where their food comes from and who produces it. For now I would encourage everyone to enjoy the ’joie de vivre’ that having a Royal Wedding brings to the nation - let’s celebrate!"