Up Close with: Hucknall business AC Crafts

A successful independent business now based in Hucknall recently celebrated one year since its premises opened in the town.

AC Crafts has been in existence since 2008 but only moved into the shop on Hucknall High Street in the summer of 2021.

The business was founded by Pat Burgess after her new-found love of crafting helped her mental health and physical recovery after a life-threatening illness.

Mrs Burgess had just returned home from a family holiday in 2003, when she collapsed whilst hanging out washing in her garden.

Despite claiming she was absolutely fine, husband Eric insisted he drive her to hospital to get checked out.

This turned out to be the right decision as following a number of tests, Pat was found to have four brain aneurysms. She will always be grateful to Dr Machin and his team from the Queen's Medical Centre for their care.

Surgeons were able to successfully treat three of them but because of the location of the fourth it could not be treated and is instead regularly monitored.

The lifesaving surgery left Pat needing to relearn everything from fine motor skills to being able to speak.

This was quite a shock to the system for the previously active former scout leader.

Keen to help her recovery when she was discharged from hospital, Eric bought his wife a colouring book, however he couldn't have foreseen the positive impact such a simple act would have.

Speaking exclusively to Hucknall Nub News, Pat said: "Because I couldn't do anything when I came out, he bought me a child's colouring book because I couldn't even hold a pen."

The colouring book helped Pat to regain her fine motor skills and gave her the confidence to delve deeper into crafting and art which as she explains was in complete contrast to her interests before the surgery.

"I hated art at school, I took myself off to an evening course, explained my brain doesn't function as quick as everybody else's which it still doesn't but they said no problem. I also went to another local crafter and got ideas and tips from him," she said.

It also kept her positive and she credits it with preventing her from developing mental health issues such as depression. Now she is keen for other people to experience the benefits that crafting gave her.

"Crafting helps mentally, physically and it's very therapeutic. It's something you can do yourself but you can enjoy doing with others too."

After regaining her fine motor skills and coordination, Pat began making cards, initially for friends and family before realising there was scope to make a living out of her new passion.

As a result, in 2008, Pat decided to take the step of starting and registering her own business. The name was originally Aneurysm Cards to represent her personal journey. However, after receiving a number of unkind comments about the name online, Pat decided to shorten it to AC Crafts. 

She began by having stalls at local outdoor markets including Hucknall, Arnold, Mansfield, and Chesterfield.

After a few years of attending markets, Pat decided to look into getting her own premises. She moved into a shop in Kimberley in 2015. Once her lease was up, she moved into a slightly bigger shop on Nuthall Road.

This didn't get the footfall she'd hoped for and post-pandemic she decided she needed a bigger shop.

As soon as she had looked round the Hucknall shop, she knew it was where she wanted to move her business to and signed the lease straight away.

"There's nothing else round here like it. We've got a fantastic landlord.

"We've been well received by the local traders, which is a good thing. We try to work together. We're enjoying it here, the community's great. We all talk to each other."

It is also incredibly convenient to get to as the couple live just a short drive away in Bulwell.

The shops sells a number of crafting items such as wool, handmade cards and balloons.

Photo Credit: Tom Surgay.

They are also the official Nottinghamshire stockist of crystal art, which is like painting by numbers but using crystals and comes with a ready-made frame to neatly mount the completed picture on.

AC Cards hosts a crafty natter on Wednesday afternoons from 1-4. This offers crafters an opportunity to socialise whilst doing the craft they love and is deliberately aimed at a wider audience than more traditional knit and natters.

Of this, Pat says: "Whatever craft you do, come along, we have a laugh, it's £2, and there's tea, coffee and cake."

As well as this, Pat prides herself in the advice and help she can offer fellow crafters should they require it.

"We educate people when they come in, we're here to help them. With small independent shops it's a case of use them or lose them."

 For further information about AC Crafts visit their Facebook page by clicking here.