Intro to Infomation & Inspiration Links:

Below are links and resource sheets to help inspire creativity and conversations around an important piece of Nottingham’s past and food poverty today. There are also links and resources to how you can get and give help today. The most important are the links to Hope Foodbanks, and other hunger fighters across our diverse city. We hope you will donate to whenever you’re able and access for help if ever you need. But we want you to have fun and get creative with us too! Nott Normal believes that talking about difficult things is central to understanding and changing them in united, positive ways. Every year, The Big Cheese Roll aims to find family-friendly, inclusive, non-threatening, and fun ways of raising foodbank donations and awareness about difficult issues like hunger and inequality. This year the action centres around three stories and an exhibition at The National Justice Museum, that you can be part of! The three very different stories of the Cheese Riots of 1766 are suitable for different age groups and abilities and explore different ways of seeing the same event. We are trying to get these in different formats to increase accessibility.

Be Part of it!

Please share any (family-friendly) artwork, poems, stories, experiences or thoughts with us using the hashtag #BigCheeseRoll2020, email us at wearenottnormal@gmail.com or use our contacts page. A selection of art will be exhibited online and at The National Justice Museum, Nottingham.

Exhibition Submissions:

If you want to be part of the exhibition please check out our info sheet Big Cheese Roll Exhibition Call Out. There are different age groups for young people aged as well as adults. You can use the hashtag #BigCheeseRoll2020 or email us. If you prefer to submit anonymously or use an artist’s name we fully respect that. Deadline Wednesday 30th September 5pm.

For Children, Young People, Parents & Schools:

Cheese Riot Info for Schools – also good for parents & young people, though for younger children parental or adult guidence is recommended. This is a brief exploration of the Cheese Riots 1766, and how they relate to today.

Lizzie Cotter’s Story for Schools – also good for parents & young people. Appropriate for all but very young children without parental guidance. This is the story of a textile worker from 1766 who worked hard for very little pay and rolled away cheeses to feed her family and her community.

Mother Big Cheese Story – a playful retelling of the story with a pantomime feel, suitable for most ages and abilities.

The Mayor’s Story

The Smallholder’s Tale

More is on its way, plus check out our Big Cheese Roll Gallery & our main #BigCheeseRoll2020 page.

Community & At-Risk/Under-served Groups:

Cheese Riot Info for Community Groups – a good overview to spark useful conversations, creative projects & social actions

Lizzie Cotter’s Story for Communities – one perspective of the Cheese Riots 1766, by a textile worker involved in the uprising

Mother Big Cheese Story – a playful retelling of the story with a pantomime feel, suitable for most communities, ages, and abilities.

The Mayor’s Story

More is on its way, plus check out our Big Cheese Roll Gallery & our main #BigCheeseRoll2020 page.

Fighting Food Poverty Year-Round:

Nott Normal Guide to Foodbanks & Fighting Food Poverty – a signpost guide to where to get or give help, not only with foodbanks, but community kitchens, gardens, and support groups for some of those most at risk. These include many different proactive and generous faith and cultural groups across Nottingham. This includes groups providing culturally appropriate food to those most at risk as well as those serving the whole of Nottingham’s wonderfully diverse community. We update this info whenever we can but please note some details may be out-of-date, especially during COVID threat.

Hope Foodbanks – One of Nott Normal’s Partners in the Big Cheese, they fight food poverty all year, every year!

National Justice Museum, Nottingham our other partner in The Big Cheese Roll 2019 and 2020. Because how we tell the stories of our past affects our lives today. These guys are change-makers, with a huge amount of project relevant to growing fairness and social. justice in our lives.

Cheese Riot Info for Community Groups – for talking points. If we can’t talk about food poverty how do we act together to solve it?

The Big Cheese Rolling Forward – written in 2019, this gives more information & ideas for artists & peaceful, inclusive activists.