The Repair Shop

S05:E58 - Tortoise Pouffe, Rocking Chair, Mechanical Pigeon

Today in the Repair Shop, Jay Blades and the team bring four treasured family heirlooms, and the memories they hold, back to life. First to arrive are Danielle Woods, and her daughter Niamh, who have come to see if toy restorers Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch can save a much-loved companion before it's too late. The tortoise pouffe was Danielle's first Christmas present, over 40 years ago, and has been a permanent fixture in her home ever since but the years of being sat on and hugged have taken their toll. His head is falling off and his fluffy fabric is dirty and dull. The ladies waste no time in getting him dismantled and in the bath. He's given new stuffing, new lining and good scrub up….until he looks as handsome as he did on that Christmas morning.Upholsterer Sonnaz Nooranvary takes on a rocking chair that's been at the heart of a family home for decades. Anna Anobile from Manchester is very attached to this piece of furniture - it holds memories of her and her sister's happy upbringing…..of bedtime stories and loving parents. Now it's the turn of this tired, worn chair to receive some love from the capable hands of Sonnaz. She strips the old fabric, padding and varnish away, revealing some beautiful beech wood beneath. Jay's expert eye comes in handy for selecting the perfect fabric to reupholster with and Anna is delighted with the results.And expert David Burville is put to the test when Liz Harvey from Sheffield arrives with what's left of a Victorian clockwork pigeon. It belonged to Liz's grandmother and although she remembers it well, she has never seen it go. Liz recently attempted to fix it herself but with disastrous results. David excels himself...casting a new wheel, rebuilding a set of mini bellows to create the pigeons coo, he overhauls the wind-up mechanism and eventually the little metal pigeon performs.