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Episode 6

Episode 6 of 14

Jay Blades and the team restore a family鈥檚 kitchen table, a pair of clown shoes, a Victorian diorama of a horse-racing scene and a beloved blue bear.

Jay Blades and the team bring four treasured family heirlooms, and the memories they hold, back to life.

First to arrive at the barn is Heather McPherson, with her 12-year-old grandson Jacob. They have brought in their kitchen table, which is on its last legs, and they are hoping wood restorer Will Kirk can bring it back from the brink.

Originally belonging to Heather鈥檚 great-grandmother, the pine table with a folding top and gate legs is extremely important to them both. Generations of their family have gathered round it for meals - it鈥檚 been privy to many a discussion and has been ever present through good times and bad. For Jacob, who lost his dad suddenly when he was just six years old, the table holds precious memories of playing with his dad at the table and eating family roast dinners together. When he sits at it even now, he has the feeling that his dad is with him still.

However, the table top is so warped and split that it鈥檚 really no longer fit for purpose. Will goes to great lengths to mend the original pieces of pine, rather than find replacements, and deliver the table back to Jacob and Heather ready to host many more roast chicken family dinners.

There' a first for master cobbler Dean Westmoreland when Grant Harvey and his mum Tracey deliver a pair of enormous clown shoes! They were once the possession of Grant鈥檚 great-uncle, Bert, who worked in a car factory by day and by night toured the working men鈥檚 clubs and children鈥檚 parties as a clown. He delighted in making people laugh in his red nose and very big shoes, and did it for most of his adult life. Both Grant and Tracey loved him dearly and feel the flattened, faded and scuffed leather shoes should be restored to preserve this funny man鈥檚 memory.

Expert David Burville is excited to take receipt of a Victorian diorama, carefully transported by its proud owners, Sue and John Cox. The three-dimensional model of a horse-racing scene, complete with hundreds of little spectators and animals, is made entirely of cardboard and wood, and encased in a display box. Although never confirmed, John believes it was made by his grandfather in the early 1900s, and it was his father George鈥檚 pride and joy. It resided in the flat above the family鈥檚 butcher shop in Isleworth.

Unfortunately, it was damaged over 50 years ago - the culprit was a nine-year-old John doing a bit of target practice with metal turkey skewers! Many of the delicate structures were impaled and detached, and the diorama has continued to crumble over the decades. A repentant John would be very grateful if David would rescue it, but can he carry out the painstaking task to repair each figure and fully restore the diorama?

Finally, Tom Rollason comes to see the bear ladies with a lifelong friend. Blue Bear was given to Tom when he was a newborn baby by his mum. Tom was born prematurely and spent many weeks in an incubator with Blue Bear to keep him company. The bear represents the close bond that Tom and his mum still have, but he is looking a little worn, his nose is gone, as is one eye, and he could really do with some rejuvenating TLC from Amanda and Julie.

Available now

57 minutes

Signed Audio described

Last on

Wed 14 Feb 2024 20:00

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:49

    Balligomingo

    New Favorite Thing

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jay Blades
Narrator Bill Paterson
Executive Producer Alex Raw
Series Producer Rebecca McLaughlin
Series Producer Tanveer Bari
Director Rich Merritt
Production Company Ricochet Limited

Broadcasts

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If you have a treasured possession that needs restoring, please get in touch.