Tom Cable

My name is Tom and I was born and raised in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. After studying Theatre at the University of Sheffield, I returned home to begin my own business: Blue Kazoo. I design and deliver character-driven history days in primary schools across the county. I have appeared as Vikings, Romans, Egyptians, and many other characters from across the history syllabus to help spark imagination and break down barriers to learning.

Over the last year, I have become more involved in local heritage projects, appearing as Lord Byron in my home town to encourage young poets and writers. I also entertain and educate tourists and visitors as Robin Hood, offering tours and training experiences in Sherwood Forest. I consider it an absolute privilege to introduce the young people of Nottingham to some amazing characters and invite them to discover more about local history and the wider world around them. It also gives me the opportunity to visit the diverse museums and heritage sites that the county has to offer and work alongside some incredibly talented and creative individuals.

The journey to America will involve a lot of research around the Mayflower story itself and the hardships faced by the people onboard. My aim is to package this story in a compelling way for the community and celebrate Nottinghamshire’s role in a story that changed the world forever.

I plan to visit Boston, Plymouth (MA) and North Carolina to better understand the Pilgrims’ and Native American views of this voyage. These locations have all been chosen because they bear historical and geographical significance to the story and have developed their own ways of retelling the stories for tourists visiting the sites today.

I am really excited about this new challenge and the opportunity to bring this inspiring story to the people of Nottingham in my own way. I will use my skills and resources to turn this unfamiliar pilgrimage into something memorable and meaningful for the community. I am incredibly grateful to the people who have granted me this opportunity and offered their support during this incredible research project.