In the latest RBST Watchlist, published in April 2023, Boreray sheep are classified as ‘at risk’. Boreray are also known as the St Kilda sheep, because the island of Boreray, where these primitive sheep used to live, belongs to the St Kilda group of islands – The St Kildan’s kept their sheep on the neighbouring island of Boreray, and used to row across once or twice a year to round the sheep in and select a few to take back to St Kilda – they unbelievably did this by throwing the sheep off the cliff into the sea where a waiting boat would pick them up! However, in 1930 when St Kilda was evacuated the sheep on Boreray were left behind and became a feral flock. They lived there undisturbed for 40 years, developing resistance to all the usual sheep ailments, such as; foot-rot, fly-strike etc… It wasn’t until the 1970’s that six of these, now feral, sheep were brought back to the mainland to start the basis of the line of Boreray we know today.
Doing our bit with laundry balls
To raise funds for the RBST, Little Beau Sheep has created a limited edition run of laundry ball packs made from wool with Gam Farm Rare Breeds. RBST will receive a £5 donation from every sale to help with their amazing and essential work.
Meet the sheep…
Meet the Shepherdess…
Helen Wray and her husband Chris developed a passion for rare breeds back in 1999 and kept a few sheep in their garden. As the flock expanded and turned a hobby into a full time job they had to look for alternative premises and in 2002 acquired Gam Farm in the beautiful village of Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales.
“Boreray sheep were residents on the farm right from the start” recalls Helen “along with five other breeds of sheep they provide fleece for the Gam Farm Wool Shop.” Helen said; “The Boreray fleece is extremely weather resistant and has an outer layer of kemp, particularly around the neck and on the rump. Rather annoyingly most Boreray shed their fleece naturally making Boreray fleece a very rare commodity. Boreray are generally white-ish with a dark-ish or tan collar, a speckled face and speckled or dark legs. However, it is not unheard of to find a number of darker Boreray and this is one of the attractions of this rare and interesting sheep – they just look so beautiful together with their variations of colour.”
The prefect pairing…
Helen’s ethos is the perfect match for Sarah who offers an effective and sustainable alternative to traditional plastic balls. Little Beau Sheep tumble dryer balls are a natural alternative to fabric softeners. Handmade in Yorkshire from 100% British wool, the dryer balls are chemical free, relying instead on their native lanolin content to naturally soften clothes. Natural and biodegradable, they provide a much quieter, planet-friendly alternative to their plastic prototypes. Little Beau Sheep also produces an eco-friendly range of other laundry and body care products. After leaving her corporate career behind, Little Beau Sheep was born from Sarah’s need for more work life flexibility after having children, along with her desire to create a business that had more connection for her locally. Being a natural creator, combined by personal experiences, led her to the business she has today.
Using British wool, Sarah and her team hand make a range of natural and novel gifts and goodies in the heart of the Yorkshire near Ilkley – from dryer balls for a faster more fragrant tumble-dry to felted soaps for an invigorating bath or shower, there’s a whole flock of fabulous stuff to choose from. All Little Beau Sheep products are designed with sustainability at their core to reduce the use and dependency on single-use plastics.
Sarah said; “One of the things I love most about my job is being able to advocate for this incredible magic material and also promote rural communities and all they have to offer. Through this campaign, we are highlighting the history and heritage of Boreray sheep and offering something truly unique – laundry balls you can trace back to the original sheep. With £5 from every pack sold being donated to the work of the Rare Breed Survival Trust to help with their amazing and essential preservation work.”
“It’s so great to see native breed wool being used in this innovative way, and all the more gratifying that the partnership came about as a result of a chance meeting at an RBST event. Said RBST CEO Christopher Price
“Our native breeds may have been initially bred to provide us with food and clothing, but now we have a new generation of rural entrepreneurs finding wonderful and entirely new uses for them. It’s by far the most effective way of securing the breeds future in the years to come.”
Happy to lend our support
Little Beau Sheep is delighted to be partnering with Helen at Gam Farm Rare Breeds. The amazing heritage and sheer beauty of the animals in her care is such a well deserving cause. That’s why we’re supporting The Rare Breeds Survival Trust with our limited edition laundry balls.
