Repair Shop fix delights Sussex pair

A mum and daughter have told of the ‘magical moment’ they appeared on BBC One’s The Repair Shop.

Jane Ogden and her daughter, Dr Victoria Bishop, assistant head at St Nicolas & St Mary CE Primary School, in Shoreham, featured on the show on Tuesday, April 13.

In the episode, metal expert Dominic Chinea takes on a 100-year-old toy caravan which originally belonged to Jane’s father, which, she believes, was given to him when he was a child in 1914.

“It was his favourite toy and the only one he kept for me,” said Jane, 73.

“I have very many happy memories of playing with the caravan in our big garden at home, with my mother and my cousins.

“We used to make camps and have all the soft toys riding round in the caravan and I remember endless sunny days and lots of fun.

“My children and grandchildren have also enjoyed playing with such a much-loved toy.”

The toy caravan had been through four generations and was almost past hope of repair. But instead of throwing the toy away, Jane applied to go on The Repair Shop and was thrilled when she was asked to go on it.

“We were amazed at the skill, care and time spent to restore it, undertaken by Dom,” she said.

“He thought it might be a replica of an old-fashioned bathing machine rather than a caravan but we are not sure.”

Victora, 48, who has two daughters, aged 19 and 17, said going on the show was an exciting experience, adding she felt lucky to be part of it.

“They were such wonderful people – they made us feel so welcome,” she said.

“Mum had a few tears. She was just thrilled and said how her dad would be so pleased. I was emotional watching it back as it was such a special experience.”

She said she could not believe how amazing the restored caravan looked when it was revealed to her and her mum on the show.

Jane and Victoria were asked to go on The Repair Shop just before the first lockdown, but this was put on hold due to covid.

They were invited back in October and Victoria said the pair were emotional as they had not seen each other for a while due to the pandemic.

She added: “It was really nice after having not spent much time together to actually have that really magical moment.”

New episodes of The Repair Shop started last Wednesday and can be viewed on BBC One, or catch up on BBC iPlayer.