Episode 15

First up in the workshop is a mandriola belonging to internationally celebrated folk musician Vin Garbutt. Vin's son Tim and family friend Maggie are hoping Julyan Wallis can restore this piece of musical history so that it can be played again. Vin started his career in the 1960s, busking his way through Spain, where this instrument played an integral part in developing the strumming method that helped him become a globally recognised folk artist. After repairing the damaged bodywork, Julyan needs to restring and tune the mandriola to restore its original sound. Tim and Maggie are overjoyed when the item is returned to them, unlocking a piece of their father and friend's past.

Next, expert weaver Sarah has her hands full with two pint-sized pieces of furniture belonging to Mamta Rajani. These unique chairs are woven from memories of Mamta's childhood with her sister and parents in Tanzania. They were at the centre of family gatherings and outings when exploring the rich African countryside. After being brought to the UK following the sad passing of her parents, Mamta needs Sarah's skills to repair these childhood treasures so that her grandchildren can use them, just as she, her sister and her own children did. The chairs pose an interesting challenge because Sarah must work out how to create new plastic-covered cane, which the chairs were originally made from. After enlisting the help of Dominic Chinea, who creates a new tool especially for the job, Sarah weaves new life into these beloved chairs.

Third to walk through the barn doors are Roddy and his mother Anne Lloyd Jones, who are hoping master hatter Jayesh Vaghela can restore a precious memento of Anne's high-flying husband Trefor. This captain's cap clocked up thousands of miles at the vanguard of domestic aviation before its retirement from the skies 40 years ago. Anne met Trefor as a stewardess when he was a young navigator, and both witnessed the aviation industry transform with the introduction of the Boeing 747, which Trefor captained for 11 years. For Anne, the cap is a reminder of the man who gave her decades of happy married life, and for Roddy, it symbolises his heroic father. Jayesh has the delicate task of returning it to its former glory, so that Trefor's memory can live on.

Lastly, Linda and her son Matthew Bracey have an exciting repair for pinball extraordinaire Geoffrey Harvey – an American retro rarity that belonged to Linda's husband and Matthew's father, Chris. Known as ‘the Neon Man' and ‘the Godfather of Neon', Chris changed the face of Soho with his neon artistry signs and brought his love of Americana into his work. Chris dreamed of owning an authentic American pinball machine, and after finally acquiring this one, he placed it proudly in the studio, where his family and customers could share in his passion. Geoff's repair of this mammoth machine involves meticulously dismantling every cog and circuit to find out why it went dark. Linda and Matthew hope that Geoff can light up this beloved machine to keep Chris's memory alive through the game he loved.