Enter a workshop filled with expert craftspeople, bringing loved pieces of family history and the memories they hold back to life. A heartwarming antidote to throwaway culture.

Season 13 - Episode 11



First in the barn is Abid Shah, with a challenge for one of the newest experts, textile and clothing specialist Rebecca Bissonnet. He’s brought in a handmade, embroidered ceremonial coat from 19th-century India, worn by his great-grandfather, Sultan Mohammad Shah, at official occasions. The coat was passed to his grandparents and came into Abid’s mother’s possession after the partition of India in 1948, when he and his parents made the perilous journey to Pakistan while his grandparents stayed in India. For Abid, it represents a simpler time in India, before partition. His longed-for wish is to return the coat to its best, preserving his connection with his great-grandfather and ensuring its survival for future generations.

Next, with a treasured reminder of a childhood lived in the fast lane, are siblings Becky Roberts and Al Richards. They’re hoping vintage bike enthusiast Dominic Chinea will be able to rebuild and restore their homemade children’s motorbike, made from scratch by their dad, Derek, in 1965. An avid motocross rider, Derek built the bike for Al when he turned five, and it began a lifelong love of motocross for all the family. It ultimately led to Becky meeting her husband, Tommy, who sadly passed away two years ago. Becky would like the bike restored to its former glory as a fitting tribute to their dad, her late husband, and as a thank you to her brother Al for being by her side throughout it all.

Next to arrive is Charlotte Bray, with a vintage suede handbag for the attention of leather expert Suzie Fletcher. The bag was bought on a trip of a lifetime holiday to New York that Charlotte and her two brothers were taken on by their mum, Jane. It reminds Charlotte of the hard work and determination of her single mum, who worked very hard to save the money for the trip and put her three children’s needs ahead of her own. A well-loved accessory, the bag accompanied Charlotte on many nights out in her teens but got damaged one night and has since been gathering dust in a box. Charlotte would like the vintage handbag revived as a tribute to her mum, who sadly passed away from a brain tumour last year at home, with her three children surrounding her.

Next is Ron Martin from Dorset with a box of tricks for woodwork wizard Will Kirk. Ron’s magic box is a ‘sliding die’ trick. It was made by his dad, Edward, ‘Teddy’, in the early 1960s when Ron began to show interest in magic as a young boy. The trick box ignited a passion for magic in Ron, who went on to become a redcoat at Butlin's and enjoyed a successful career in the entertainment industry. Now scratched and broken, Ron’s been unable to use the magic box trick for years. Will sets to work to make the box as good as new again, becoming a fitting tribute to Ron’s father, who kick-started Ron’s love for magic, all those years ago.

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