Jay Blades and the team breathe new life into three cherished family heirlooms, resurrecting precious memories.

First though the barn doors is Diana Cook, with a German-English dictionary for the attention of bookbinder Chris Shaw. The fragile pocket-sized book belonged to her mother Margot and helped her to learn English when she first arrived in the UK as a Jewish refugee. Margot escaped Nazi Germany at just 19 years of age, just before the Second World War, and was able to finish her nursing training in the UK thanks in part to the dictionary, which was always stowed in her apron pocket. For Diana, the book represents her mother’s bravery and determination, so she’d like it preserved to pass on to her grandchildren and continue the legacy of Margot’s life. With its broken spine, fractured boards and loose pages, it’s a painstaking but important fix for Chris.

Motorbike enthusiasts Dom Chinea and Suzie Fletcher are eager to start work on a 1950s motorbike helmet and goggles delivered by Andy Cattani. They belonged to his daredevil uncle Peter, who used them to race at death-defying speeds. Andy spent a lot of time with his uncle as a lad, tinkering on old cars and motorbikes, learning skills that he went on to use to set up his own mechanics business. Andy has big plans to display the helmet and goggles in his home in tribute to his uncle, but the rubber surrounding the eyepieces on the goggles has disintegrated over the years, and the leather lining in the helmet is very tired and dry. Fortunately, Dom and Suzie devise an ingenious plan to bring the items back to life.

The final treasure is a job for wood restorer Will Kirk. The hobby horse was Michelle Turner’s pride and joy. It was made especially for her by her grandfather to celebrate the Queen’s silver jubilee. She and her grandfather, who was known as Pop Pop, were as thick as thieves and were forever up to mischief! Michelle was the envy of the street, with her own steed to dash about on. She’s now a teacher and would like to share the hobby horse with her pupils, but its glory days are now in the past. It is riddled with woodworm and bits are falling off, so it’s a tough task for Will to bring the horse back to full health. Show less