A remarkable workshop of wonder...
This is amazing!
Home to experts of every kind.
Thank you.
Together, they revive beloved belongings...
Oh, get an idea of it.
This is amazing.
This is absolutely brilliant.
Bringing both the items...
BIRD CALL
This looks like it's seen much better days.
And the memories they hold...
It's... It's him!
Are you ready? Yeah. I'm ready.
Back to life.
SHE
Wow.
It's amazing.
They are stunning.
Like it.
Ooh! Whoa!
Welcome to The Repair Shop.
Like any good football side...
Give us your best shot, then.
Come on, Middleditch.
The Repair Shop relies on a deft touch,
Skill...
Yes!
And teamwork.
We've never worked together, have we? No.
So what on Earth could be coming in now
That combines upholstery and percussion skills?
No, I don't know. We'll find out. I really don't know.
With drummer Pete leading the line
And Sonnaz's sewing skills on side,
June, Vivian and Jim, from Oldham,
Are hoping for a dream finish.
Hello, hello. Hello. Hello.
Wow. What on Earth do we have here?
Well, this is the washboard that I play
With the Barnhowlers Ukulele Group.
And it was designed and constructed by George Wyatt,
Who was one of the founder members of the Barnhowlers group.
Did you say washboard? Yes.
This replaces the drummer. Right!
It's the rhythm. It's the heart of It. It's where the beat come from.
I see.
Every little bit has got its part to play in it.
It's all used when we are playing.
And it was just really, it was the Centre of the Barnhowlers Group.
And when did the band start?
Around 2008, by George.
And it was started at the Cross Keys Inn, in the barn,
Hence the name The Barnhowlers. Right.
And we are there to this day.
Do you all play in the band? Yes.
I play the ukulele banjo accompanying this.
And I play the same.
And I play the washboard.
She's the important one. She's a drummer.
If you say so. THEY
So, how did you get involved, June? My late husband,
He played the ukulele with The Barnhowlers. OK.
And I used to go with him.
Somehow got sat next to George
And George kept saying,"Come and Have a go. Come and have a go."
So I did. With gloves that he had that were too big for me.
And then every week, rather than One tune, it would be two tunes.
And then when he got arthritis in his hands,
It was like,'It's yours.'
Sadly, we lost George in Covid. Aw.
But every time I play,
I just visualise George
Sat instructing me, telling me what to do. Yeah.
So he's still with us.
He's still with us. And this is George.
Yeah. What was George like?
Well, his nickname was Magic George,
Because, believe it or not, he did magic tricks.
Did he? Oh, yes.
George just wanted people to learn, be happy.
We meet every Sunday
And it doesn't matter whether you can play or not,
You can just come and enjoy the moment.
Two hours of happiness we have, don't we? Definitely.
Aw, I love that.
So, you said you play it with gloves?
Yes. Oh, my word.
So that's thimbles on the end Of the gloves to get that sound.
Yeah. Without them, half of this won't sound. Right.
Yes, of course. No, they're not fit for purpose,
Because the thimbles keep coming Off because they're stuck on.
I see. George, actually,
When he did his first pair of gloves,
He drilled all round the thimbles and sewed them on.
That is quite something.
I haven't seen anything like that before. Thank you.
So, what is actually wrong with it?
As you can see, it's very unstable.
Right. It shouldn't be unstable.
Where this piece sits into this,
It's not tight.
And we've got the horn, which, again, isn't...
Sometimes it works.
WEAK HONK Oh! Sometimes it doesn't. Yeah.
I want it to last now.
I want it to be so other people can play it and enjoy it
And remember George.
Thank you so much for bringing this in.
It's been a musical education for me.
It means so much to us. It really does.
Absolutely. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you.
It's interesting, isn't it?
I wouldn't know where to start, Pete.
Neither do I at the moment!
Can you help us with the gloves, please? Yeah, for sure.
It's going to be fun, this.
There's a few nice little ideas that Magic George has done on here.
You got the washboard doing the main rhythm.
But then you've got all these other bits, it's great.
But I've just got to sort it out So that everything works properly.
The Swanee whistle. Like...
SLIDING WHISTLE
That works fine.
The horn, I thought, was in good condition.
Actually, it's a bit worse now than I thought.
The bell has started to come off.
The dents are easy enough,
But I found a crack in here, which isn't very good.
I'm just going to have to put a patch on there.
Yeah, there's a fair bit of work to do on the'ootah!
HONK!
Now what I'm going to do is Gradually take all these pieces off
And then start thinking about securing this.
It's wobbling about a bit
And she's trying to hit a moving target at times, so.
It's not an easy life, being a drummer.
Are you excited about the World Cup?
Very. Last time Scotland were in it was'98
And I was only ten years old.
We were playing Brazil as well and That was the first game last time.
Really? Yeah. How did you fare the first time?
We controversially lost. : OK, fine.
But, yeah, this time we've got it.
May the odds be in your favour. Yeah, absolutely.
Arriving next, two more lifelong football fans,
Steph Taylor and her daughter Alison,
Are backing toy team Amanda and Julie to score a winner.
Welcome to The Barn. Who've we got here?
World Cup Willie. In a rather sorry State, I'm afraid. Look at him.
I remember these.
The'66 World Cup?
Yes. Yeah, I just remember this symbol being everywhere.
So, was he the mascot then? Yes, yes.
I bought him at the first match I went to,
Because I had tickets for all the matches at Wembley.
That included the final. Did you?! Did you?
And then took him to all of the Matches I went to in my pocket.
In your pocket!
I remember the whole country getting sort of whipped up
In this frenzy of excitement as each match went along,
So what it must have been like In that stadium... That final.
It must have been incredible.
Absolutely incredible to be there,
To think that England had actually got that far.
The 1966 World Cup Final is under way.
As we got closer and closer towards the end of it,
We were doing so well, it got more and more exciting. Yes.
It was 2-2 at full-time
And then went into extra time.
And then we scored two more.
Some people are on the pitch, they think it's all over.
It is now!
It's four.
And won, which was incredible.
What a day this is!
A day none of us privileged to be here will ever forget.
I don't think anybody could really Believe we'd actually done it.
Yes. Yeah. Wow.
It must have been incredible to be part of that atmosphere.
It was lovely to be able to say I was there. Yes. Yeah.
Who did you actually go with to the matches with?
With what was then to be my future husband, Chris.
I travelled to Wembley on my scooter.
He came on the back with me.
Oh, that's lovely!
Yeah. So your romance sort of Blossomed during the World Cup?
Well, just prior to it. And through the World Cup, yeah. Oh.
We got married that October.
Oh, wow. Lovely. Yeah.
So, when did you come along?
The following June. Yes. Didn't waste much time.
Chris was very attentive. And he absolutely adored Alison.
That was the best thing that ever happened to him, I think.
But then, very sadly,
The following March,
He had an asthma attack and died.
Nine months after you were born? Yeah. Mm.
Oh, my goodness. Yeah, so she never knew him.
I never knew him. That must have been devastating.
Yeah, it was. Yes. Yeah.
That makes Willie much more significant
Than just the football match. Yes. Yeah.
Because they weren't together very long,
He's the only thing that I have that connects Mum and Dad.
So it's quite special to me as well.
Yeah. I love seeing the footage of the game,
Because I look at it and I think, 'My dad's in there somewhere.'
Wow. Yeah. And that's kind of a really weird feeling.
So he's kind of like a moment in time.
He's a very important lion. Mm. He is very a important lion.
Yes. I've kept him all those years.
But he lived on a windowsill in a Flat that I lived in at the time,
Which had dreadful condensation on the windows.
And I hadn't realised how wet he was Getting, sitting in the corner,
Which is how he got so wet and damaged.
Ah, OK.
What are you hoping that we can do for him?
Well, be nice to have him put back together
Because his legs are all loose.
Yeah. I'd like him to keep his shirt.
Mm-hm. Of course. Very much. Yeah.
And just smarten him up a bit.
He's got a bit of a hole here as well.
He has. And if we can get him stronger,
He's going to be along for this World Cup.
Yes. He'll be the lucky mascot.
Well, thank you so much. Thank you.
Thank you very much for having him. Lovely to meet you both. Thank you.
Bye.
Oi, you! What are you doing? Keepy-uppies!
I think you need a bit more practice.
When Steph put him down on the table,
I was actually like,'Wow!' Because I remember these.
Do you? Yes. There were lots of them Around during the'66 World Cup.
I do remember the mascot for sure.
He looks extremely fragile, doesn't he? Yeah.
I'm quite concerned about his face.
I think this is definitely perished.
It's like a dry rot. Mm.
We really need to get this sorted before it gets any worse.
Bit worried about his arms and his paws.
Can see quite clearly there, the wear.
Not dissimilar from his face.
A bit of repair required at the top of his legs.
I think this rod is rusted.
Where to begin?
I think we need to get his clothes off.
I do too. Yeah.
Whether it's World Cup silverware or brass instruments,
Everyone's aiming for a perfect result.
And the washboard's accessories are In need of Pete's silky skills.
We're just melting the solder.
And that's that piece off.
Now I want to get the other bit off.
Then we can really start work on repairing it.
There we go.
Right. So, the next thing to do now Is start working on these dents.
We're literally going to just put it on that round mandrel
And just work it round and push the dent out.
It's very thin, the brass,
So I don't need to hammer it.
I'm just going to push it out, into place.
Sonnaz is hands-on with the Washboard's other crucial component.
I've got June's gloves here.
They've seen better days, that's for sure.
There's some old repairs, the fabric is peeled.
June did mention that she would like some new gloves,
And I don't think it'll be a moment too soon, actually.
I need to try and get these thimbles off these fingertips.
Then I'm going to drill holes into the thimbles
So that I can stitch them onto the new gloves,
Exactly how George did with his.
Hey, there we go.
I've now got rid of most of the big dents in the horn.
The main problem is now I've got a Nasty crack in one of the pipes.
It's in an awkward place,
Because you've got bends going round that way and that way.
So I'm going to bend a piece of flat brass,
Just bend it to roughly the right shape,
And then trim it to a pretty good fit.
Then it'll solder up nice and tight.
So I'm just going to
Use this round bit of steel here Just to try and get the curve.
It takes a bit of doing,
Because you're actually shaping up the piece of brass.
See, it's starting to go round. Now I can just press it round a bit.
That's well on its way to fitting.
I've just got to spend a little while longer tapping away,
Until it's ready for soldering.
Hey, guys. Hi! Hiya! Who's this?
This is the 1966 World Cup mascot for England.
Oh, was there a World Cup in'66?
We won, you know. Did you?
No-one's ever mentioned that. Oh, come on.
We're going to do it again this year.
Oh, I don't know, I think Scotland have got it. No chance.
From World Cup fever to Olympic glory,
Father and son Doug and Angus Gillan
Have brought a once-glittering accolade
For printmaker and gilder Alasdair MacKay.
Hi there, guys. Hello. Hi. Ooh!
Wow. Very nice.
It's an Oxford University Boat Club presentation oar
That was presented to my grandfather back in 1908.
Fantastic. What was his name?
Full name is James Angus Gillan, But he always went by Angus.
Did your grandfather have quite a successful rowing career?
Yes, he had a very successful career.
He rowed for Oxford in the boat race twice,
Oxford and Cambridge boat race.
He also won gold at the Olympics Twice, in 1908 and 1912. Twice?
And he was the first man, I think,
To win two Olympic gold medals in rowing.
You must be incredibly proud.
Absolutely, always been proud of him. Yeah.
He's quite a good, inspirational Figure in terms of hard work
And putting in the hours, early mornings and late evenings.
What is it that's written on the oar?
It's the title of the race.
So,'Oxford University Boat Club' coxless fours,
And it has the names of the Four crew that were in that race,
Including my grandfather on it.
And it's also got other information, Like the colleges they beat,
As well as their weights and their position on the boat
And then the shields for the colleges.
It's a lot of information, isn't it?
Absolutely, yeah. It's a good document of history.
You know, it's a moment of time. Yes, yeah.
Now, you have the shape of a rower. So I can say the...
Oh, I could say the same to both of you as well.
Well, you know... Look at us guys. It's working.
So, I used to row and then had to retire for a back injury.
It's a very physically demanding sport.
Sounds like it's in the blood. Absolutely.
What is it exactly you'd like me to do with the oar?
Well, if possible, I'd like it brought back to the condition
It was when it was presented. So to Bring the lustre back into the wood.
And also the artwork restored so that you've got that
Showing the shields, showing the names,
Showing the race and the details.
And if Al is able to restore it, where is it going to go?
Well, it's going to be presented to Angus,
Because he's the latest generation of a family of rowers.
So I thought it'd be nice for him to Have it and keep it for posterity.
It's going to be really good to Work on. I'm excited to work on it.
Lovely. Thank you very much, guys. Bye-bye. Bye.
This is a really beautiful bit of history
And so important for the family.
It looks like the original lettering on this was gold leaf.
Over the years, that gold leaf has worn away
And been left with a crackling of the glue that's been left.
I'm going to have to figure a way to Make this nice and smooth and flat,
So that I can reapply the gold leaf
And really make that shine.
As well as the lettering, I'm going to have to fix this crack.
It's a bit daunting -
Unfortunately, the crack runs through the middle
Of these two beautiful, hand-painted crests,
And they're really badly damaged.
I'm going to have to research what Those crests originally looked like
To repaint them.
Before all that, though,
I'm going to remove all the grime And see what I'm working with.
I'm using soapy water and a sponge.
You can see already it's bringing the wood back to life.
That's really encouraging.
Once I've removed all this dirt,
I'm going to have a look at the crack and see if I can
Get that glued together.
Uh-oh! Uh-oh! : Hi!
This is off Magic George's washboard.
You know, which is a complete percussion set. Yes, yeah.
I thought it'd be nice to commemorate him
And put some writing on there.
Magic George. Magic George, I like it.
Yeah? I can see it already.
I tell you what, whilst I'm there,
I'll touch up the flames as well,
Because they're looking a bit scruffy.
That's brilliant. Thanks, mate.
Amanda is kicking off the restoration On the messed-up mascot.
This little guy's face is absolutely terrifying.
The damp has left him with these two ugly holes.
I've got to make him look good again.
The fabric is so weak,
But I really want to preserve as Much of it as I possibly can.
So I want to really see what I'm doing here.
What I'm going to try and do is feed this fabric
Underneath all of this damage.
Right, I'm holding my breath here
Because the worst thing that could happen
Is his face disintegrates on me,
And then I would have to replace the whole face.
Oh, it's a scary one!
Gently.
I think this is actually scarier
Than taking a penalty in the World Cup Final.
Absolutely terrified!
But we can do this.
Come on, Willie.
I'm going to make some little cotton sleeves
To cover World Cup Willie's arms,
To give them that strength and to hold everything in place.
And I've managed to find a really good example
Of the similar weave that's within the fabric.
And I'm now going to just stitch the very end of it here
Before I then start to stitch it tightly, once it's on.
It's so important I get the shape of the tip of the paw,
Because I want that fit to be snug.
So that it doesn't look like I've covered the arm,
But it actually looks part of him.
I finished putting the patches into his little face
And good result, I think.
So what I need to do now
Is secure everything by using some conservation mesh.
What I want to do is get this quite Taut over his little face
And hold all of this in place.
I'm going to pin higher up on his head, here,
But when I actually stitch this in,
I'm going to go right into the seam, here,
So that it will look like part of his face.
My recollection of 1966 World Cup is quite funny, really.
The men in my family are all keen football fans,
But being a girl of about four years old,
I was not allowed in there with the Men to watch the football,
So I was bribed by my mum with a little soft toy.
Oh, gosh, I can just remember that every time they cheered,
You know,'Yes!', I could hear it All going on and I was like,
I so want to go in there.
My mum would say, 'You won't get your rabbit.'
Now that's all pinned into place, I can start sewing.
Pete's assignment is going into extra time,
As he looks to sub in fresh support for the washboard.
I discovered one of the issues with the wobbly stand.
That goes into there.
And somebody had just wound it round with tape.
And jammed it in.
And over a period of time,
The tape dries out a bit and it had become loose.
So what I'm going to do is just make A couple of steel bushes,
Which are just round pieces of metal.
So it'll sit on there nice and snug,
And I can weld it all together and it'll be nice and solid.
I found an old piece of steel.
I've taken it down to a reasonable fit.
Now I've just got to drill a hole the same size
As the rod there.
Cut it to length and away we go.
I've sourced some new gloves for June,
And now that I've drilled all the holes into the thimbles,
I'm starting to stitch the very first one on.
I'm using a nylon-bonded thread
Because it will withstand much heavier wear
Than just a pure cotton thread.
It feels pretty ironic sewing through thimbles,
And the fact that they're used as part of this instrument
Really does reflect that whole mentality
Around bits and bobs put together to make the sound.
I just love that fun ingenuity.
Hi, Al. Hi. We've brought you a present.
Aw, that's kind of you.
You may keep him for as long as Scotland remain in the World Cup.
We'll last that's longer than England, I reckon.
You've got no chance. We'll see. We'll see.
World Cup rivalries are put aside for now,
As Al tackles the crack
That runs through the centre of the prize-winning oar.
It goes through the two crests in the middle
As well as through the name of Angus's great-grandfather.
I've got to make sure that it's absolutely flat
So that I can gild on top of that.
It's quite a fine crack,
So getting the glue right into the crack is quite difficult,
So I'm putting tension to separate the two areas.
But if I put too much tension, it's going to split the oar,
So I'm just trying to be really delicate
But forceful at the same time. It's quite hard.
So, whilst the crack is curing, I'm going to tackle the lettering.
It's previously been gold-leafed And, when you're laying gold leaf,
You have to paint down a glue which is called'size',
And then lay the gold leaf on top of that.
The old size that is on the oar has all cracked and broken
And each of these has to be picked away individually.
Gold leaf is super, super-fine,
It's four millionths of an inch.
I want it to be as smooth as possible
So that I get a lovely surface that I can repaint the letters on.
Angus was a champion and a gold medallist,
So it feels very appropriate to make Sure that that gold is shining,
So that it reflects the winning ways.
It's chipping away nicely.
So although it's going to take me
A really long time to do the whole oar,
I've just got to really take my time at it and not rush.
LOUD HONK Oh!
That's me finished chipping away all the lettering work.
I'm now moving on to filling in the areas of damage
That aren't part of the lettering.
Having removed the clamp from the crack,
I'm really pleased with how that's finished.
I'm going to have to do a little Bit of work in retouching that
So that it becomes invisible.
Once I've finished all the areas That have been scuffed in the crack,
I'm going to put a layer of varnish over the top of it.
It should make a really lovely, smooth surface
That allows me to gild and paint on top of.
Also with his sights set on gold...
Pete adds the final touch of magic To George's wonderful washboard.
Tom's done a lovely job on the paintwork
And it doesn't wobble about now,
Which is quite pleasing, actually.
I think June and the Barnhowlers
Are going to have a great time with it,
Which is what it's all about.
It's what Magic George done the band for, I think,
So everybody enjoyed it.
We've just got a few more gadgets to put on now
And it'll all be ready for her.
The washboard was the brainchild
Of born entertainer Magic George Wyatt,
But the instrument had become battered and unplayable
After years of enthusiastic use.
Hey, Pete. Hello, mate.
BELL DINGS
Oh, that's so good!
And the last piece of the puzzle.
Ah, quite important, these, you know.
The washboard's current custodian,
June, is back with members of the Barnhowlers Ukulele Group,
To see if the centrepiece of their band is ready for action.
Welcome, Barnhowlers.
Hello. Hello. Hi.
Delighted to see that there are some Instruments in your hands. Oh, yes.
How are you feeling?
Just want to see it restored properly
And stable and be able to play it.
Play it properly. So, yeah, I'm very excited.
What's it been like not having the washboard at practice?
Quiet. Very different. Very different.
Yeah, it's not the same without it at all. No. No.
Shall we wait no longer?
GASPING Oh! Yes.
Yeah? Let's go for it.
THEY COO Oh, hey, that's brilliant.
Fabulous. Very nice.
Wow. That's wonderful. Look how shiny that is.
Oh, it's got his name on it. It's got his name!
Aww! That's lovely. Yeah. That's so good.
You can thank the gentleman over there, Mr Chinea, for that.
Thank you! You're welcome! Thank you.
HONK!
Wow, it works!
It's brilliant. Oh, I love it. Thank you.
It's not wobbly, June. It's not.
No, it doesn't wobble. It's amazing.
George would love it. Yeah. Yeah. Wouldn't he?
Gloves! Oh, your gloves. JUNE
I hope the gloves fit. I'm sure they will.
Oh. Literally fit like a glove. Perfect!
Perfect. Oh, they're amazing.
And you've sewn them on.
LAUGHTER There'll be no thimbles flying off.
As you've got all your instruments here,
It feels remiss not to play the washboard.
Why not? Let's go for it. Let's go for it.
I'm so excited to hear you all play.
I'm leaning on a lamppost at the corner of the street
In case a certain little lady comes by
Oh, me
Oh, my
I hope that little lady comes by...
I can't describe it, really. It was incredible.
Right away, it was just... George is back.
You know, it was George's washboard and when it's not there,
It's not the same.
She wouldn't leave me flat She's not a girl like that...
Can't wait to get it out for our next gig.
Hopefully, when people see it, they'll want to have a go.
Oh, yes. And they're welcome.
I'm leaning on a lamppost at the corner of the street
In case a certain little lady passes by.
HONK-HONK!
Hey! That's brilliant. That was so good.
It's full-time on one repair...
But another is ready to kick off.
Abbie Barnes, from Somerset,
Is hoping leather expert Suzie Fletcher
Can breathe new life into a faithful favourite.
Hello. Hi. Hello. Welcome! How are you doing?
Really good, thank you. Excited to be here.
What have you brought in?
ABBIE Well, this is where I'm vulnerable.
It's my hat.
Oh! The hat is a very special item to me,
And it's in need of a bit of love.
So why do you feel vulnerable when you take the hat off?
I just feel a bit naked.
I've been wearing this hat almost Daily since I was 13 years old,
So it's been on quite a journey with me.
Life before the hat was quite tricky for me.
I was struggling a lot at school.
I went to lots of different places of education,
I was bullied at every single one.
Ultimately, just for being different.
I struggled a lot with my mental health as a young person.
I tried to take my life multiple times
And I guess I really lacked a place of belonging.
It was tough, but it was nature that was the place
Where I got that sense of grounding,
Surrounded by the birds, the bees, the butterflies.
It was sort of my safe place, I suppose.
And the hat came to symbolise where my passion is going.
Nature was where my attention was meant to be.
How did you come by it?
I was in a farm shop with my dad
And I remember putting on this hat
And it was a sense of belonging.
And so my dad bought me the hat
And it's been with me ever since.
And I guess it was the beginning of a massive journey
That I've been on with gender and identity.
Rather than choosing what everybody Else was thinking about me,
It was like,"No, I'm going To choose what feels right for me."
I had gender-affirming surgery almost two years ago,
And as a trans, nonbinary person, the world is scary,
And putting the hat on gave me The confidence to just be who I am.
Yeah. So, as a young person, I was Filming the wildlife around my home,
And I ended up learning about different environmental issues
That were happening around the world.
And I just felt I couldn't cope with the injustice of that.
And so I decided to turn the camera on myself and talk about
These conservation issues.
That ended up seeing me whisked to the European Parliament,
Speaking about the unsustainable production of palm oil
In front of MEPs.
And through other campaigning That I was doing at the same time,
The European law did end up being changed.
Basically making palm oil a labelled Ingredient in food and cosmetics
So that people can make informed choices.
And I really do feel like I played
At least a small part in that journey. Good on you!
Incredible. Good on you. What an amazing achievement.
I hope you were wearing this hat in Parliament?
I was wearing the hat in Parliament. Absolutely.
Excellent, yeah. Fast forwarding to where we are today,
It's been on every expedition I've ever done.
We have hiked for three weeks alone across Arctic Sweden,
Almost to the top of Mont Blanc,
The highest mountain in Western Europe.
Mount Kilimanjaro, across Utah, in the USA.
Wow. I film my journeys and I speak About my human experience.
I absolutely love it.
From a kid with growing up in nature
And having a passion for the wildlife around you... Yeah.
Through everything you've been through,
And now it sounds like you've got a career that you love.
I love it, yeah.
And I think that's why I really need the hat for the future,
So that we can continue to do that together. Yeah.
What is wrong with the hat?
Well, you can see here on the back
We've got these, like, plastic bits that are sticking out.
Oh, it's actually worn through.
But the biggest thing is this forehead section.
It's very thin there. Yeah.
And I sort of feel,
If I was just to push my thumb Through with force, it would split.
Looks like it, yeah. Yeah.
I'd like the hat to look the same, But function as if it was a new hat,
Which is a massive ask. That is quite some challenge!
But I guess that's why I'm here.
I will make sure I get this as good A condition as you've asked me to,
So that you can carry on your inspirational story.
Thank you so much. Thank you so much.
Take care. See you soon! Goodbye. Bye. See you later.
What an incredible person. So inspirational.
Some of the places this hat's been. Yes.
It's now over to you to try and get It ready for its next adventure.
That's my plan.
The hat, you can see it's taken on its own unique character,
Much like Abbie has.
I've got to figure out how to make it strong
Without changing any of the outside appearance.
And that's giving me a lot to think about.
Band off.
You can see the front here has... SOLID TAPPING
Become quite hard.
With that hardness,
There is a tendency for things to want to break.
So I've got to reinforce it.
The main area of damage is this band of leather
Around the outside here, which holds this plastic in.
This is what gives the rim this lovely, quirky shape.
So I'm going to find some leather that matches
To replace this outer edge.
But before I do any of that,
If I just lift the pile up,
That will give me a better idea of its final colour.
In the beautiful game, strong legs are essential,
But World Cup Willie's are not match-fit.
So, I've managed to remove his legs.
But unfortunately, as I suspected,
The little pin, the wire rod
That's holding the two legs together, has actually broken.
So I'm going to have to make a new one.
I'm just going to get an approximate measurement
Of the length I'm going to need.
There we go.
So, if I just very carefully
See if I can get it through the leg.
I can feel it, very close.
So, that is his new leg joint,
In exactly the same place as it was originally.
The rod now has to go through the body,
And the metal piece that comes out the other end
Is where I will attach his second leg.
And hopefully, he'll be able to sit up proudly.
This is World Cup Willie's little shirt,
And it's supposed to represent the British flag.
At the moment, it's really difficult to tell that.
So I'm just going to put some Lovely, bright, fresh ribbons on
There, over the top of the old ones,
To really bring it back to life,
So that he looks really bright and refreshed.
I want to leave the original ribbon on the shirt,
So that he retains all of that luck.
So, that's the very first one in place.
So now I can start stitching.
As one sporting star gets match-ready,
Suzie is whipping another much-loved veteran into shape.
I'm going to remove this leather rim trim,
Because it's not in good enough condition to repair.
As a hat wearer myself,
I can really understand
Abbie's attachment to this particular hat.
I was about 13 when I got my first leather hat,
Pretty much identical to this one.
And they become part of your look,
Your identity.
I'm constantly thinking about all of the journeys
This hat has been on with Abbie.
It's also that journey of their self-discovery.
It means so much.
Let's take this off.
There we have it.
Now the fun bit.
I've got a new piece of leather,
And I just need to sew this
Onto the rim with the piece of plastic in position.
I'm following the wavy line
That Abbie has become so familiar with.
And that's a little bit awkward.
I'm hoping that, once the strip
Is halfway secured,
And I get to the flatter area,
It's going to get easier.
Yeah.
Sign writer Alasdair is ready to go for gold,
Gilding the lettering on the Olympian's oar.
I'm now going to start painting in the letters with size.
Size is a type of glue that you can Control the speed at which it dries.
I want the glue to dry really slowly,
Because then it begins to self-level,
Which means that I get a Beautifully smooth and clean surface
To apply the gold to.
I've also added some red pigment to the size
So that I can see where I'm painting it, but also because
The person that originally painted this had a red size,
And so it's quite nice to maintain the authenticity of that.
It's really nice, repainting lettering
That has previously been painted by a sign writer.
You feel a real connection with them,
And you can see little details within the lettering,
Things like the'steerer'on this
That's been squeezed in really tightly,
Because they've clearly run out of space
And have had a bit of a panicked Moment where they've had to change
The lettering forms.
That's really nice, you kind of are Transported back to the workshop
And the challenge is honouring the person
That originally painted this.
That's the size applied.
I've waited a little while just to let that go tacky,
To allow it to level off.
I've got to try a little bit of the gold leaf onto the size
To make sure that it's sticking properly.
The gild feels really good.
I'm really pleased with how this tack is.
This is the most sort of rewarding And calming part of the process.
It's a really peaceful time,
And you get to see all the hard work You've done kind of pop off,
Because the gold is so bright and so clean.
I hope that, when this oar's finished and Doug comes in
To see it, it will really spark some pride for him.
It's such a beautiful thing,
It's a beautiful piece of craftsmanship.
It's quite nice doing this in a controlled environment.
Quite often, I'm doing up a ladder on a street
And there's wind blowing and rain falling,
So it's quite nice to do it in the Nice peace and calm of The Barn.
It's lovely.
Aw, it looks really good.
Doug is going to be so happy with this.
It's time for Amanda and Julie to kit out World Cup Willie
In his fresh strip.
SHE They still fit.
That's a relief.
He hasn't put on any weight? No.
I haven't put too much stuffing in there.
Oh, look at that.
Before I put his tail on and stitch it in place,
Do you want to just slip his shirt On and have a look and see?
Go on, I can't wait. OK.
Oh, look at that.
Well done. Good job.
Well, I think it's all over.
No, you've got to stitch his clothes on yet.
AMANDA SCOFFS Julie!
The once-proud mascot of England's only World Cup victory,
World Cup Willie was looking decidedly second division,
With a ravaged face, floppy limbs
And a kit ready for retirement.
But for Steph, the little lion is Emblematic of the tournament
Where she was wooed by her future husband...
Hello. Hello. Hello! Come on in. Thank you. Thank you.
Before fate robbed them and their baby daughter Alison
Of a future together.
How have you both been?
Looking forward to being reunited with Willie.
There's been a hole on the mantelpiece, hasn't there? Yeah.
Aw. Aw.
He hasn't been out of my possession since I bought him,
So I'm hoping he can watch this World Cup.
Hopefully, it'll be a good omen.
Yes. Yeah. Yeah.
Cos he was shiny and new... When we won...60 years ago,
And now he'll be shiny and new now.
So if we win the World Cup now, When he's shiny and new again,
It'll be all down to you two. Exactly. Oh...
Oh. Ooh, no pressure, then.
No, no pressure.
THEY ALL
Come on, then. Exciting.
Ooh. Oh, wow.
SHE
Oh, my goodness.
STEPH CHUCKLES
Wowee. That's amazing.
I don't know if he's ever looked that good.
STEPH
Quite filled up about it all, really. Yeah. Aw.
He's quite special because he's a link to my mum and my dad.
Mm. He's the only thing that really connects them.
Yeah. Mm.
He's a very important lion.
Oh, he's brilliant. Thank you so much. You're welcome.
It's been an absolute pleasure, Hasn't it? Mm. It really has.
We've had some fun with him, we really have. Oh, yes.
Good.
Well, you're coming home.
Yes, going home. It's like the World Cup.
Ooh, I nearly burst into song then. So did I then!
Football's homing home, it's...
Well, he's all yours.
Lovely to meet you both.
Bye-bye. Thank you. Bye. Bye! Thanks again. Bye.
I never knew my dad, cos I was only Nine months old when he died.
The World Cup is that connection to my dad,
And so he symbolises them as a couple.
So it's just really nice to have him back.
It's really lovely to remember
That we did go to all the matches together, with the lion,
And he will sit on my lap and watch the next matches.
With the brim of Abbie's hat revamped,
Suzie has turned her attention to the crumbling crown.
There's evidence of wear here and cracking at the base.
Now, Abbie was very clear
That they don't want things to look very different.
But I feel I can put an additional reinforcement strip here
That will sit under the hat band,
So there won't be any evidence of it.
So I'm just getting that front section in place.
Although it won't be seen,
It's with the intention of making sure
That this hat continues to be usable.
I'm just going to now reinforce The inside of the crown here,
And once I've got this second piece glued,
I can start sewing everything together.
With the gold now gleaming on the rowing trophy,
There's just the team colours to be restored.
I'm now repainting the emblems to match the original.
There's a lot of really fine detail,
So I'm using the finest brush that I own to do this
And really taking my time about it.
Thinking back to how this all looked When it first arrived in the Barn,
I can't really believe how far it's come.
So I'm really hoping that Angus and Doug see that
And like it as much as I do.
Created to commemorate a title-winning rowing team,
This century-old award arrived cracked, faded
And no longer worthy of the champions who won it.
Are you ready, Al?
All set, mate.
Top man.
Ooh, yeah.
Beautiful.
Absolutely wonderful work, Al.
Thanks, mate. Really nice.
Hoping to see his grandfather's prize shining bright,
Back at the top of its game,
Doug and his son Angus.
Welcome back, gents. Hello. How're you doing?
Hi.
Good to see you both.
Are you excited? Absolutely, yeah. Really looking forward to it.
I was very close to my grandfather,
And, you know, that history is so important.
Right, shall we take a look?
Absolutely. Can't wait.
OK.
Oh, wow. It's brilliant. Ooh.
HE CHUCKLES Hm!
It's so bright, and just...
That's brought a lump to my throat, Actually, if I'm honest. Mm.
Yeah, that's really something. Thank you.
Wow, that's wonderful.
It's beautifully lightweight as I've been working with it.
It's so nice to move about. It is, yeah.
You can really feel that it's a tool Rather than just an ornament.
It's just gorgeous.
And it catches the light so well as you turn it.
Yeah, the gold works wonders on that.
They would have been young university students
On, you know, the high of life, Winning this, being all together -
And can't imagine the feeling.
I mean to see it, to honour my great-grandfather -
Dad's grandfather - but all of them,
And for the lives they led, the friendship they had,
This is just... It's wonderful.
No, it's absolutely brilliant. Thank you very much, gents.
Yeah. Very good. Pleasure.
It's been a real pleasure working on it.
Thanks, guys. Yeah, thank you.
But before we go...
It's yours. Thank you. AL AND WILL CHUCKLE
Safe travels. Bye-bye. Thanks very much. Thanks.
I felt quite emotional in there
Cos it really sort of came back to me
How brilliant it looked.
So, yeah, I was a bit choked up.
There's that sense of inspiration From people that you're related to
And their great achievements.
And I'm just very touched to hold Something so special and beautiful.
It's been important to Dad
And so, therefore, it's really important to me, as well.
Hm!
Suzie's quest to overhaul a hat with invisible repairs
Is almost complete.
I've got one final thing to do,
And that is to pop this hat band back on
And cover up all of that additional Work I've done to the hat
In order to make it really strong again.
And now I can get this securely sewn into position.
This has been a really lovely job to be involved in.
I was so impressed by Abbie and their resilience,
And the strength that they show.
I have found them to be so inspiring,
And hopefully they're happy with what I've done,
Even though it looks like I've done nothing.
Having endured years of global adventures,
This weather-beaten hat was fragile and wearing thin,
With its once-proud brim twisted and cracked.
Come on then, Suzie.
Aha!
Look at that hat stand. That is perfect.
Look at the hat. It's like you've never been there.
Perfect.
Worn by Abbie from age 13,
The hat symbolises identity, courage,
And a sense of belonging in nature That turned their life around.
Hello. Hello. Welcome back. Hello. Thank you so much.
And who is this?
This is my dad, David. Lovely to meet you.
Am I right in thinking, then,
That this hat purchase was all thanks to you?
It was.
Abbie's face lit up like that when They put the hat on the first time.
Yeah, yeah. Aw.
Is it going to make a difference To you, having the hat repaired?
In two days'time I actually celebrate the second birthday
For my gender-affirming surgery.
Wow. I'm really, really excited for the future
In a way I never have been before,
And the fact that the hat can, Hopefully, come with me on that,
It just speaks more than words.
Fantastic. Yeah.
Are you ready to take a look?
I'm both ready and like, 'Oh, my gosh.'
Let's hope I've got it right.
Wow. That's my hat.
It looks the same! : It looks the same.
But it's... You've kept all the shape and everything.
Whoa. My mind is blown. That doesn't happen very often.
Back where it belongs. Oh!
Home.
That is amazing.
Thank you so much.
It looks so right. It really does.
Oh, gosh, it feels incredible.
It's just a hat, but it's identity.
You know, it's those layers, Foundations that make us who we are.
And that's what the hat is for me. It's...
It's been such a joy to do this for you,
So thank you for bringing it in.
Thank you so much. Thank you very much.
Lovely to meet you both. Thank you. Likewise. Take care.
Take care. Bye-bye. Bye. Bye.
It feels utterly phenomenal to be reunited with the hat.
Just back on my head, the place where it belongs,
Ready for more adventures.
I am incredibly proud of Abbie and all that they've done,
All that I know they're going to do,
And all the adventures that's going to go on with you.
Abbie with the hat... Yeah... Back in business!
Ah, yeah!
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