Shrewsbury Shrews creator expands business

Sue Jones, from Whitchurch, launched Forget Me Not in April 2010. Since then the business, which specialises in handmade gifts, keepsakes and wooden toys, has gone from strength to strength.

Forget Me Not then expanded its retail space in October, doubling in size, and now stocks a larger range than ever before with new items being added all the time.

Wooden toys are among the best sellers and a new range from company Bigjigs launches this week.

Mrs Jones, 52, is also the creator of the original ‘Shrewsbury Shrews,’ a collection of handmade felt animals that have become hugely popular as town souvenirs. After creating the first batch of shrews for a competition, Mrs Jones introduced a range of cute creatures to collect from bride and groom shrews, to Christmas and nursery rhyme themed characters.

“The shrews have really taken off,” said Mrs Jones.

“People now collect the range and are always on the lookout for the latest character.

“Expanding the business has been a huge success; we are now able to stock more than ever before and have been able to take on new product ranges. Among our most popular products are the traditional wooden toys and our personalised bunting. We have customers coming to us from all over the country and they return time and time again.”

Members of the public can currently spot the Shrewsbury Shrews as part of a competition being run by Shop in the Loop. A number of shrews have been hidden in shop windows around the town centre, to enter shoppers must spot as many of the creatures as they can by December 21. Participating outlets will have posters in their windows to identify them as being part of the scheme. Completed entry forms should be handed in to these stores.

Forget Me Not is located on the gallery level of Shrewsbury Market Hall and is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am until 3.30pm.