CURTIS Fulcher's day job as head of communications at the Courtyard brings him into close proximity of the stage and all those involved with running productions – including the costume department.

And, as a keen amateur sewer who was almost set to take part in the BBC'S Great British Sewing Bee, he has relished the opportunity to design and make the costumes for the Courtyard's forthcoming youth theatre show Pride and Prejudice.

Mr Fulcher, 34, who lives in Pudleston, said: "As a nine-year-old boy I wasn't interested in sports, I was interested in being creative. Things have changed a lot from when I was a kid – it's more accepted now."

He has always been interested in the historical side of sewing so Pride and Prejudice has turned out to be the 'perfect' job, enjoying the engineering and construction that goes into the work. But it has been far from easy.

"I started the process about three months ago. At the moment it's pretty intense – there are about 24 characters, some of which have a couple of costumes and all have different measurements," he said.

"I've been getting up at 5am, sewing, coming to work, leaving work at about 5pm and then sewing until I sleep.

"But I love doing it so it's not a chore, it's a passion. I look forward to getting up in the morning to do it."

He has been helped along the way by Doughty's – one of the country’s leading online quilting fabric stockists – who have helped source most of the fabric. His own team at the Courtyard have also been supportive of the project.

His passion for sewing led him to apply for the BBC's Great British Sewing Bee, and he narrowly missed out on a place as a contestant in the last series before turning down a reserve spot.

He said: "I've watched all the series', its great and so good for amateur sewers. I think they are right in how they say 'the more you do the better you get'. It's not easy naturally, you have to keep persisting.

"I put in an application for the last series and got through to the last round. But going through that process was contrived and unnatural. I love watching it and it's great but as a sewer it took the joy out of it when you have a camera and a microphone thrust at you. But I made some great contacts who I keep in touch with."

Other theatre productions he has worked on include Little Women at the Swan Theatre in Worcester previously, as well as Hansel and Gretel at the Courtyard, and he'll also be costume designing for the forthcoming Little Red Riding Hood.

Pride and Prejudice runs at the Courtyard from October 3 until October 7.