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Episode 26

Episode 26 of 40

Jay Blades and the team restore a lead statue, a Windrush suitcase and a wooden giraffe.

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

Mother and son duo Linda and James Gibson are in desperate need of silversmith Brenton West鈥檚 help to restore a treasured lead statue of a young man with a dog that has been part of their family for over 70 years. Originally bought by Linda鈥檚 parents, the statue stood proudly in their garden all through Linda鈥檚 childhood. The statue was stolen and thought lost forever until several years later it was discovered in a ditch and returned to the delighted family. The dashing young man and his faithful hound incurred extensive damage in the incident and are looking very sorry for themselves. This is one of the largest projects Brenton has ever undertaken, and he is determined to get the figure back on his feet again.

Next at the barn to meet expert Suzie Fletcher is Dawn Curley from the West Midlands. She has brought her late father鈥檚 suitcase, which is made from cardboard. This trusty little case carried all of Leopard鈥檚 possessions on the Empire Windrush voyage from Jamaica in 1948. Leopard settled in the UK, fell in love and had a large family. His daughter Dawn is very proud of what her father achieved despite much prejudice and discrimination and feels compelled to have this crumpled case preserved in his memory.

And French polisher Will Kirk repairs a wooden giraffe that belonged to Illona鈥檚 late husband Steve, who loved the lofty creatures. She bought it as a gift for him. Tragically, Steve passed away not long after they were married and this giraffe, who she has named Steve, reminds her of the happy times they had together. However, the wood has split and damaged, which rendered the poor thing lame and unstable.

Available now

44 minutes

Audio described

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jay Blades
Narrator Bill Paterson
Expert Brenton West
Expert Suzie Fletcher
Expert Steve Fletcher
Expert Will Kirk
Executive Producer Hannah Lamb
Series Producer Paula Fasht
Production Company Ricochet Ltd

Broadcasts

  • Mon 8 Nov 2021 16:30
  • Tue 9 Nov 2021 07:00
  • Thu 2 Feb 2023 15:45

Take Part

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