Carwyn Adams, of Caws Cenarth, above; Selina Cairns at Errington Cheese, left

spring milk that needs to go somewhere – a tall order when demand for liquid milk has also declined dramatically because of the closure of coffee shops, schools and hotels.

Small cheesemakers have given away tons of cheese to hospitals and charities, and in some cases been forced to pour thousands of pints of milk down the drain. Many maturing rooms are still full of soft and blue cheeses that are close to their use-by dates, while some of the big names in artisan cheese, such as Kirkham’s Lancashire and Stichelton, are in danger of being lost, according to cheesemonger Neal’s Yard Dairy, which developed a Save British Cheese online selection box in response. Northern retailer Booths is so worried that it has launched a full-blown campaign to support artisan cheesemakers. This rearguard action was given a big boost when Jamie Oliver posted a passionate video on his Instagram feed, imploring the public to get behind small

Small cheesemakers have given away tons of cheese to hospitals and charities

cheesemakers, who have been “shut out” during the crisis. “As we get a month into this there are casualties and it’s not just about food, it’s about culture,” he said.

The tribulations of small cheesemakers are, of course, minor in comparison to the crisis sweeping hospitals and care homes. But it’s a problem that could be easily solved. The industry has been proactive, embracing new business models and marketing techniques to get the message out about how easy it is to buy their products. “It’s become a call to arms: if you’re buying cheese, buy British and buy it from a specialist cheesemaker or independent retailer,” says Catherine Mead, SCA chair and owner of Lynher Dairies, which makes the nettle-covered cheese Cornish Yarg. “The catastrophe has not been averted. We still really need support. But we haven’t been sitting back complacently waiting for shoppers to rescue us. We’ve been fighting hard as an industry to highlight the situation and make it easier for people to buy good cheese.”

Over the past 40 years, British cheese has undergone an amazing renaissance, with small family businesses reviving traditions that stretch back hundreds of years and leading the way in areas such as sustainable farming, animal welfare and craft skills. To lose these producers, often the very last of their kind, would almost certainly mean losing their skills and knowledge forever at a time when being thecheesebar.com

URBAN CHEESE DELIVERY

Urban cheesemaker Sophie Williamson, who owns Sheffield Cheesemasters, is helping the local community and other small food producers after setting up a