The Repair Shop

Jay Blades and the Repair Shop team bring three treasured family heirlooms, and the memories they hold, back to life.First to be welcomed into the barn is Sandie Ennis with a precious cargo – a handbag that belonged to her late mother. The perfect project for leather expert Suzie Fletcher this bag was the first thing Sandie's mother, Carmen, bought when she emigrated from the West Indies to the UK in the 1960s. It symbolised an exciting new start and Carmen treasured it. Sandie calls it 'the bag of hopes and dreams.' She played dress up with it as a child and is guilty of some of the extensive damage. It bears a large hole, the lining is ripped, the stitching is failing, and the leather is dry and cracked. Suzie must completely dismantle the various sections before reinforcing, re-stitching and nourishing this item if Sandy's dreams of using it herself are to come true.Gordon Barnes is the next visitor at the workshop. He's here to see if Dominic Chinea and Will Kirk can repair a custom made, wooden windmill of Noah's Ark. Originally hand-built by Gordon's grandfather, it entertained him and his late brother on their trips to their grandparents in the school holidays. As the wind blows and the propeller turns various animals should poke their heads in and out of the ark, but with only one wooden blade remaining the animals haven't moved for many years. Gordon was left the windmill after his grandparents died twenty years ago and he put it up on the garage roof so his children could enjoy it. However gales blew it off and left it bashed and broken . Will and Dom must divide and conquer to bring this charming structure back to life.Finally, soft toy and doll restorers Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell are delighted to meet Jane Devereux, her granddaughter Millie and a precious doll called Mary-Lynn. A gift from Jane's father when he returned from the second world war, Mary-Lynn was treasured from the moment Jane set eyes on her and now Millie shares that same love. However, Mary-Lynn is in her dotage and desperately in need of the specialist care that only the Julie and Amanda can provide. Her face is chipped and scratched, her hands and feet are damaged, her hair is matted, and her pretty dress is ripped and a major undertaking for the bear ladies.