A huge milestone as Ace Places heads to Hertfordshire

Three years ago, I launched the very first Henley Playing Cards with a simple idea, to celebrate the places that make our communities so special. I never imagined that the journey would lead here.

Today, I'm incredibly excited to share that Ace Places is expanding into Hertfordshire.

I'm delighted to be welcoming Annelize Fagan and Judy Mason to the Ace Places family. They'll be leading our first three Hertfordshire packs, starting with St Albans this autumn, followed by Berkhamsted and Harpenden over the next two years.

To celebrate this exciting next chapter, I'm also sharing the very first glimpse of the St Albans Playing Cards. The illustration you'll see is the design that will feature on every playing card in the pack, as well as on the front of the box. Beautifully created by our incredibly talented illustrator, Nicola Metcalfe, it captures the character and charm that make St Albans such a special place.

What makes this milestone so special isn't simply that Ace Places is growing. It's that the idea is being embraced by people who care just as deeply about their own communities as I do. I've loved getting to know Annelize and Judy over the past few months, and I genuinely couldn't have wished for two better people to introduce Ace Places to Hertfordshire.

Just like our Henley and Marlow collections, each pack will celebrate the independent businesses, charities, landmarks and hidden gems that give a place its character, while raising money for a local charity and encouraging people to discover more of what's on their doorstep.

None of this would have been possible without everyone who has supported Ace Places over the past three years. Whether you've sponsored a card, stocked a pack, bought one, shared a post or recommended a hidden gem, thank you. Every bit of support has helped us reach this point.

And this is only the beginning.

My ambition has always been to create 50 Ace Places packs across the UK, celebrating the communities we're proud to call home. Seeing St Albans become the next chapter in that journey makes me even more excited about what lies ahead.

If you're based in or around St Albans and know a brilliant independent business, charity or local gem that deserves to be part of the city's first Ace Places Playing Cards, we'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to email Annelize and Judy on their brand-new email address annelizeandjudy@aceplaces.co.uk

Emma ❤️

Founder and Leader Of The Packs