Carers Special

As part of Carers Matter week, Eric Knowles presents a special episode to celebrate the millions of people who dedicate their lives to helping others.

At a bustling antiques fair in Newark, Nottinghamshire, experts Nick Hall and Izzie Balmer are lending a helping hand to their teams of carers. In red are twin sisters Kayley and Sarah, who both have children with autism and ADHD. Competing against them on the blue team are charity worker Mandy and her daughter Jo, whose son has a rare chromosome disorder, similar to cerebral palsy.

With £300 in their pockets and one hour on the clock, both teams search for items they hope will make a profit at auction. The reds are drawn to a cute and cuddly Steiff teddy bear, but they’re not sure if the bidders will love him as much as they do! Meanwhile, the blue team are tempted by some unusual Exeter Art pottery with a caring connection. Expert Izzie explains that these pieces, known as motto ware, became popular in the Victorian era, when their inscriptions were used to convey sentimental messages. Which team will triumph when their items are sold at Charles Hanson’s auction in Derby?

Meanwhile, in Shropshire, Charlie Ross meets Einion Davies, the owner of a traditional family carpentry firm which for the last 50 years has been a lifeline for people who’ve lost mobility due to an accident or illness. Einion’s father, Theo, a wheelwright and furniture maker, was asked by the local hospital to design a wooden standing frame to help rehabilitate people with spinal and brain injuries, strokes and conditions such as multiple sclerosis. Using traditional woodworking methods, he invented a unique piece of furniture which has gone on to help more than 20 thousand people across the UK.