Jay Blades and the team rejuvenate three cherished heirlooms, sparking precious memories of the past.

First to arrive is Helen Giltrow, with a miniature silver kettle. She’s hoping that silversmith Brenton West can get it singing again. The tiny treasure was made by Helen’s great-grandfather, who was a tinsmith by trade, and according to her family, it was crafted from a silver shilling. The kettle was passed down to Helen’s mum, who displayed it proudly in a cabinet. However, the piece is now over 150 years old, the silver has weakened and tarnished, and the lid has broken off. Brenton is very impressed by the workmanship and executes some precision soldering to revive this remarkable little object.

Luthier Rebecca Houghton meets Laura Reeves, who has brought in a violin that connects her to her grandfather Ken’s musical past. Ken was a talented performer, playing in a band as well as being an active member of the local operatic group. Laura remembers him fondly and would love his violin to be played and heard again. She has recently started having lessons herself and would love to play her grandad’s instrument. However, the violin is over 100 years old and is crumbling before her eyes. Rebecca has a huge undertaking on her hands to bring this cherished violin back to life.

The barn’s final visitor is Douglas White, with a broken toy that has brought joy to his whole family. He’s pinning all his hopes on mechanical whizz David Burville to get it going again. The 1950s tin rocket was a Christmas present from his parents, and Douglas was fascinated by it from the moment he opened the box. He remembers it zooming around on the lino floor, much to the delight of everyone who came to play. Douglas would love to see it fired up again, and David Burville excels himself with an ingenious fix to make Douglas’s dream come true. Show less