The Repair Shop S2023E40 - Episode 40

Today, the team fix a 100-year-old handwritten Qur'an passed down four generations of women, and a fun-loving nonagenarian prepares to take his family's old scooter for a spin. 

First into the barn is Farah with a family treasure that's been passed down four generations of women. Her family's Qur'an was made in Kashmir around 1910 and its 600 pages were ornately handwritten from memory. Now the sacred tome is starting to show its age, with torn pages and misshaped binding. Keen to pass this important book on to her daughter, Farah needs expert Chris Shaw to work his bookbinding magic while handling the Qur'an with the reverence required. It's a tough task for Chris to undertake this deeply religious restoration. 

Next into the barn are father and daughter Harry and Belinda with a rusty old scooter that's crying out for the expert care of metal worker Dominic Chinea. The dented two-wheeler was gifted to Belinda by her parents 61 years ago. Now nonagenarian Harry is keen for the toy to be revamped so that his two great-grandchildren can continue the tradition of fun family times on wheels. Tasked with making it look as good as new, Dom welds, sprays and polishes the scooter to perfection, resulting in a jubilant Harry taking the colourful scooter for a whirl. 

Next, Gaspare wends his way to the barn with a treasured memento from his childhood in Sicily. Art conservator Lucia Scalisi is delighted to unwrap his topographical painting of Marsala, Gaspare's hometown. The painting not only depicts the city but also Joseph Garibaldi, the Italian general famed for unifying the north and south of Italy. The painting belonged to Gaspare's late grandfather, Vito, who worked at the old Marsala wineries for 50 years. The artwork used to hang on top of the barn where the wine was stored, meaning Vito passed it every day of his working life. On retirement, the painting was gifted to Vito, and after he passed away in 2020, it was passed on to Gaspare. Cracked, painted over and way past its prime, Lucia needs to work carefully to uncover and restore this hidden gem. 

The barn's final visitors are another father and daughter duo Richard and Nicky, who have brought a diamond ring with an extraordinarily precious central piece. The broken ring became squashed and fractured when Nicky got her hand stuck while moving a table. Luckily, the inner resin containing the ashes of Nicky's late mother, Julie, remained intact. However, fixing it for Nicky is a hugely daunting job for master goldsmith Richard Talman, who needs to restore the ring without damaging the inner resin.