Monks Kirby Street Auction

For many people, living in the countryside

is preferable to a town or a city, with its fast pace of life.

But the quiet, rolling hills

can feel quite isolating and lonely for the young and old alike.

But today, in this small, quiet village,

all of that is going to change, because the whole community is

coming together for one a massive fundraising event.

-ALL:

-Three, two, one!

Let's go.

And all the money we raise is for one unique man.

He was born with spina bifida and, initially,

given just 12 months to live.

He was born facing me and he looked gorgeous,

and then they told me there was a problem.

The hardest thing is seeing...

..your brother, someone you love, having to struggle through life.

But he survived beyond everyone's expectations

and now teaches kick boxing and dedicates his time to others.

He likes to help people.

To help anybody he can.

To show him how much he means to everyone,

we're hoping to raise £1,000 to buy him a special gift.

We'll knock on the doors of his neighbours

to find things we can sell.

It's not a Singer, is it?

Oh, that's really nice.

Oh, we love a bit of Denby.

That'll do me to start with.

Everything was done on this.

But we could be in for a bumpy ride.

No-one's in, though.

That's a no.

And the great thing is, he has absolutely no idea

all of this is for him.

And how will he react?

Today, I'm in the picturesque Warwickshire village of Monks Kirby,

set in the Midlands, between Rugby and Coventry.

It's a small place with a history that goes back to the 7th century.

The quiet village is home to around 400 people, and a big part of that

community is Carl Hodgetts.

He gives so much to the community and doesn't expect

anything back in return.

All-round good guy.

He's one of the best. And if you want help, he's there.

Since birth, he's had to overcome many challenges in his life...

I knew that I was born different and there were times when it was

difficult to accept.

..but has surpassed what anyone thought possible...

His disability, as far as he's concerned, like,

almost knows no bounds.

..and devotes his time to volunteering...

He'll get stuck in.

He's absolutely brilliant.

..and teaching kick boxing.

He's inspired and helped quite a lot of people.

'To find out more about him, I went to meet his mum and dad.'

Carl's parents, Diane and Rob, met when they were teenagers

and a few years later, started a family.

We had our first child, Sarah, and then four years later, we had Carl.

Carl was born.

He was born facing me and he looked gorgeous,

and then they told me there was a problem.

I was there when the doctor came in and said to me,

"There is a lump, a small lump on his back."

And I...

I didn't understand what that was.

Carl was born with life-threatening disabilities.

Carl has spina bifida and hydrocephalus,

and he has no feeling from his ribs down,

so he can't use his legs.

Hydrocephalus is a fluid on the brain, which causes tiredness,

blurred vision and confusion.

Then Rob and Diane received more terrible news.

They told us he'd got... a maximum of 12 months to live.

Other mothers had their babies, I didn't, he was in a separate unit.

Later on, other mothers were going home with their baby and I didn't.

It was all very odd and difficult with Sarah to explain why

she hadn't got a baby brother or sister to take home.

But against all odds, Carl survived his first birthday

and exceeded all expectations.

He's always striving to do the best he can and not just

sit at home and say, "I'm disabled, I can't do anything."

I do see my brother as someone to aspire to.

Big time.

I'm going to get emotional again.

So, to say thank you to Carl,

we want to pay for the adaptations he needs to his new car

and, as a massive cricket fan, to send him on a VIP trip to Lord's.

That's going to cost around £1,000,

and this is how we're going to raise it.

Well, we've come to this area to ask Carl's friends, family,

neighbours and relatives

if they can donate any unwanted or unloved items,

so we can sell them here in a pop-up auction,

which is happening in about a month's time.

Now, we've got to keep this a secret from Carl until after the sale,

so it should be absolutely brilliant.

I can't do it by myself, so I'm calling in a mate.

A guy who knows what sells, but more importantly, knows how to sell it -

Danny Sebastian. And I can hear the van right now.

-Hey!

-Hiya, Danny!

-How are you?

-I'm very well, thank you.

-Hot?

-It is hot.

It's going to get even hotter as we march the streets around here,

knocking on doors, liberating unwanted clutter

from people's houses.

-I like it!

-This is where you come in, and the van!

OK, we've got a big job to do today.

So, do you want to take that street, this street or that street?

I want to take the shady street.

OK, I'll go... I'll carry on around there, you can work down there.

-And then we'll meet up.

-Good luck, Paul.

And you, take care.

It's a glorious day in this idyllic village.

Let's hope the residents are feeling generous.

It's so pretty!

'And if we find any top-quality items today,

'we'll send them to a saleroom to try to fetch the best price.

'First up, I found the vicar, Jonathan.'

Well, we've been doing a little bit of rummaging.

-Do you want to come in?

-Yes, please.

You're the expert, aren't you? I don't know if it's worth anything.

Denby! Yes!

Oh, that's really nice.

Oh, we'd love a bit of Denby.

'This jug has a hand-painted design,

'inspired by the delicate brushwork of Japanese artists.

'It was a popular piece in the 1960s.'

I don't know where it originally came from.

I think it's been sitting in the cupboard, to be honest, Paul,

-for the last...

-Yeah.

-..for the last few years.

You know, it's quality, but it's understated.

'Jonathan knows Carl from the village.'

It's quite amazing what he can do...

-Yeah.

-..and what he's been through.

That's what we're doing. So thank you very much.

-Nice to meet you.

-What a nice chap.

That's a very good start.

That's quality.

'Hopefully, that will fetch around £5 on the bric-a-brac stall.

'But while I've been working hard,

'it looks like Danny's gone for a pint.

'Publican Nigel knows Carl well.'

Can you tell me anything about him at all?

He's got a wicked sense of humour.

He's a great guy. He tries so hard at everything.

He's fantastic, yeah.

So we can count on you, can we?

Yeah, it's for Carl, we'll do anything we can.

I bet them sheds are full, aren't they?

-Come on, let's have a look.

-Let's have a peep!

'You never miss a trick, do you, Danny?

'While they're having a rummage, I've headed to Carl's mum's garage

'to see what gems we can find.'

Oh, it's a Bradbury's.

Ah!

'Oldham-based Bradbury and Co was Britain's first sewing machine

'manufacturer, dating back to 1864.'

It has a label on it saying my mother's sewing machine...

-Aw!

-So I think it was not mine...

-Your mum's?

-No, I think it was my next door neighbour's mother.

So it should be quite old.

'This one, with its Celtic knot design, was from the early 1900s.

'I think it's got potential to make £20 in a proper saleroom auction.'

Well, I tell you what, we'll take that.

Thank you very much.

Meanwhile, has Danny had any luck in Nigel's garage?

We'll have some of them glasses.

You can't just give away anything, obviously, but what can go?

Anything you see over there.

What about those hay bale things?

Great big baskets. They're wall baskets for flowers.

-Oh, I see, yeah.

-Pretty good, actually, they are.

We'll have them, then. If they're pretty good, we'll have them.

-Yeah, of course you can.

-Quite nice baskets.

They'll do me to start with. They'll do me to start with.

These are made of steel and were originally used

as hay feeders for horses,

but could easily be transformed into flower baskets.

Danny's also found an old bar stool.

This one's OK.

It's in good stead. It's Bentwood, quite desirable, looks well.

Bentwood furniture is made by steaming to make the wood pliable,

and then it's bent into shape and allowed to dry.

So we've got the glasses,

we've got the stool and we've got some ironwork and a bottle holder.

Thanks very much for letting us in here and letting us have a look.

No problem.

Danny's had a good haul, and that bentwood stool would be

perfect for upcycling.

'Back at Diane's, in the garage,

'we've uncovered some musical delights.'

HE HUMS BEETHOVEN'S 5TH SYMPHONY

Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, more Beethoven...

Boxes full of CDs and books.

They add up.

'Diane has been a brilliant, donating the sewing machine

'and all the books and classical CDs.

'Meanwhile, in the heart of the village,

'Danny's putting in some legwork.'

Well, I've got a lot of ground to cover.

Too nice a day, they're probably out.

'And his perseverance has finally paid off,

'as he finds the village hall and local toddler group.'

-Can I come in?

-Come in!

-Come on in!

Well, it's all busy in here, isn't it?

Yes, I've sorted out some stuff.

Oh, so, you got the leaflet, that's brilliant.

Wow. That's absolutely great.

You've come at the right time, actually,

-because I was having a good sort out.

-Thanks very much.

That will get a few pounds on the bric-a-brac stall.

Well done, Danny. Any more?

I've got to keep rolling.

I'll give it a knock anyway.

That's a no.

Danny!

-Where's the carrier bags full of stuff?

-In the van.

-Ah!

-In the van.

-Lots?

Not really, no. There's a bit.

-I've got a few...

-I'm relying on you.

Well, I mean, don't write me off, don't write me off!

Been inside the village hall.

Sounds like a lot of noise is going on in there.

-It's a kids' day.

-Anything in there?

-Just kids.

-Kids?

-Kids' toys.

-Can't take them.

-No!

And there's another school down there,

so I'll go and try the other school.

-Well, I'll tell you what, I'll leave you to it.

-OK.

-Do your best!

Not many people in, is there?

They're all out. Probably fishing.

Fishing?!

'We're going to have to cast our nets wide today if we're going

'to reach our target for Carl.'

Carl was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, and given the

devastating prognosis of just 12 months to live.

I can't really think of any way of saying it, other than explaining

to a four-year-old that you've talked to about having a baby

and bringing a baby home and then not having one, was difficult.

Carl survived his first year of life after undergoing several operations

to protect his spine and to have a metal tube inserted into his head

to drain the fluid on his brain.

And I think after that, I began to realise that he stood a chance of

carrying on for a good few years.

But the extent of damage to his spinal cord was so severe,

it meant that he was paralysed from the waist down.

The first few years, he could just be in a pushchair,

like every other baby, and then eventually, into a wheelchair.

I do actually remember saying to my mum, "Well," you know,

"my younger sister can walk, my elder sister can walk,

"when it is it my turn?"

When Carl was two and a half years old,

he was fitted with callipers and was filmed for hospital research.

I think it gave me a sense of...

wow, I can be, sort of, as tall as everybody else...nearly.

And I can, you know, learn how to move my legs like they would...

..and get an experience of how it might be to walk.

His younger sister, Emma, knows how tough life can be for him.

That's probably the hardest thing.

The hardest thing is seeing your brother, someone you love,

having to struggle through life.

It's the hydrocephalus that really frustrates me,

because I might feel light-headed, I might get a headache,

I might get irritable.

I think, probably, deep down...

..he probably sees it as a struggle sometimes and there are moments

when he finds life hard.

But I think that's one of the things that makes him

such an inspirational person, because he is very, very strong.

Carl is still susceptible to life-threatening

health complications and has recently battled septicaemia.

As soon as I found out, I thought, "Whoa!

"How am I going to survive this?"

I knew that I was right on the edge.

But it didn't happen.

So there you go.

The more I hear, the more I'm determined to help.

Back in the village, I've spotted the sign

for the local school up ahead.

Hello!

Hiya. It's hot out there.

Right, I think we can probably help you.

-Do you want to come and have a look and see what we've got?

-Please, yes.

'We're in luck. Headteacher, Andrew, thinks he might have a few things

'in the school store.'

We've got loads of bits and pieces in here that we've had

-over the years...

-Yeah.

-..that we no longer require.

-OK.

-There's an old Singer sewing machine.

Well, I tell you what, they're used nowadays as props, as decoration.

-Oh, fantastic.

-There you go, how about that?

Oh, yes, please!

As a child, I spent many a happy hour

holding that and doing the handle for my mum.

'A second sewing machine.

'This one is a Singer.

'It's American and was first made in 1851.

'Being both mass-produced and affordable,

'they became hugely popular.'

Got a very old typewriter, don't know how good it is.

-Oh, we'd take that, I'd love to take that.

-OK.

I love this. It's an Underwood typewriter,

invented in the late 19th century.

They became so popular, more than five million were sold

in the first 50 years.

This is just classic, isn't it?

I mean, this is what journalists wrote on, back in the day, you know,

all the reports. Everything was done on this.

I think Danny might be onto a couple of good leads himself.

Is there anything at all you've got that you might be able to donate?

-Yes, I have, I've got some pictures.

-You've got some pictures.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

Those framed pictures are great, Danny.

They'll add a few pounds here and there.

Next door, Danny finds even more -

a really good selection of framed prints,

a chair and a table and much-needed bric-a-brac.

Nice collection we've got there, I think,

and it's good quality stuff.

Back at the school, Andrew has found something else from the past.

-All sorts of things we've got...

-Bedpan?

-Bedpan! You see, it's when

we used to do Victorians with the children and then...

-An old projector.

-An old projector.

That would be great, if we could take that?

-Yeah, of course you can.

-I'd auction that off.

Well, I haven't seen one of these in a long time.

This is a Specto 16mm projector, British made.

And this one probably dates from the 1940s.

And why don't you need these any more?

As time moves on and schools move on, you know,

I think it's time for them to go to a more worthy cause and somebody

that can use them and love them a bit more.

Oh, well, thank you very much.

-No problem at all.

-Thank you.

What a lovely man.

While I fill the van, Danny gets a tip-off.

-Brilliant. Where's the van?

-Just up here, I think.

Right, we'll go and get the van.

Brilliant. I'll tell you what, looks like I'm going to win this

competition. Couple of golf clubs and a bike as well.

I'm cooking with gas!

But on the way to his tip-off,

Danny's got a prearranged meeting with Jane.

-Can I come in?

-Yes, of course you can.

Come on in.

While my luck seems to be evaporating fast.

No-one's in, though.

No-one in.

It is quiet, it is quiet.

"Beware of the rabbit."

Not much luck.

I hope Danny's having more success.

You mean Carl who's got the wheelchair, who lives...?

-You've got him.

-Yeah, I know. Ginger hair...

-You've got him.

-..climbs mountains, does crazy things?

-Yeah. That's right.

You can have these. There's just six Denby.

-Oh, lovely!

-I hope that's OK.

Lovely condition as well.

This village likes Denby.

These are great. A complete set.

They came from my mother-in-law who used to live in Stratford-upon-Avon,

-and she used to collect pottery and things like that.

-Oh, right, yes.

-This was her set, I think.

-I mean, Denby has been going for donkey's.

Hopefully, we're going to put this on the auction.

You're right, Danny. Let's put those on the pop-up auction.

Denby pottery always sells well because it's quality.

Hopefully, there's £20 there.

-Thanks very much, Jane.

-Thank you very much.

-Pleasure.

-Good luck.

-Hope to see you on the day.

-Will do.

In my desperation to find anything at all,

I've accidentally stumbled upon Danny's tip-off.

Oh, is this for us?

-Yes.

-Oh, fantastic!

I like the bike at the back.

My dad had a bike like that.

Oh, it's even got a Brooks's leather saddle.

John Brooks originally made saddles for horses.

But when bicycles came into fashion in the late 1800s,

he found the seat so uncomfortable, he decided to make a better one.

That's lovely. Now, can you volunteer any help for an hour

-or so, if you turn up?

-Yes, I can do something.

OK, brilliant, thank you very much.

An old Raleigh. I'd like to think we'd get around about £30 or £40 for

that, because that's got a Brooks saddle on it.

Very excited about that. I can't wait to get that in there.

I think I might have some questions to answer from Danny.

But hang on a minute, what's he up to?

I knocked on that door.

-Look what I've just found.

-What do you mean, you just found?

-Didn't get it earlier, did you?

-No.

-I've just grabbed it, Paul.

No, no, no. No, I literally have just done all the houses down there,

I've found some lovely bikes, some golf clubs...

Hold on a minute. Now, hold on a minute.

I'm just coming down, Paul.

I seen you earlier.

I said... I started at the top and I'm walking down...

Oh, but you can't do both sides.

-Can you?

-I'm capable of doing that, Paul!

Yes, I am capable of doing that.

You can have the bikes if you want the bikes.

-But then I get that.

-But then you get that.

Well, yeah.

I've not even looked at the bikes yet.

-Make your choice.

-I'll take the bikes.

-No, all right, then, I'll have the bikes, you have this.

-So you get the bikes, then.

-I get this.

-Yeah. OK. That's fair.

-Right, come on, then.

Still quite nice, that, though.

I think I'm going to sell the bike on the pop-up rostrum.

A good deal, I think.

Now, Danny's at Gina's, where he's found his artistic side.

Thank you very much. What is it you got?

Well, I've got this beautiful piece...

Oh, that looks like a nice bit of sculpture.

-It is, it's lovely, isn't it?

-Yeah, it is.

-It's signed.

-It is!

-Yeah.

-I mean, how long have you had it?

About 20 years, I suppose.

-20 years?

-Yeah.

And it was bought in one of the Spanish islands, I believe.

Oh, what a shame, looks like its leg's been broken there.

-That's how he works.

-That's how he works! Yes.

An easy mistake to make, Danny.

I've no idea what price it could fetch,

but I reckon the saleroom gives it the best chance.

Do you know Carl at all?

-Yes.

-Oh, you do.

-Of course, yes.

No, he's a very nice man.

Very nice, yeah.

Amusing and friendly and cheeky and...

And very independent.

He's a black belt kick boxer.

-Does he do kick boxing?

-He teaches it as well.

-I didn't know that.

-Yeah, he teaches martial arts.

That doesn't surprise me.

-Yeah.

-Well, thanks very much Gina and also Margaret.

Please keep it a secret, this is top-secret stuff.

Of course.

Gina's generosity is a sign of how much Carl means to the community

here. Carl began learning karate in 2002,

earning a black belt in freestyle martial arts and also qualifying as

an instructor of kick boxing just four years later.

He can't kick, but he can explain how to kick

and he can demonstrate by using his hands and his arms.

He's been running kick boxing classes for people of all

abilities for the last four years.

He's extremely good. I've seen him work with disabled people in electric wheelchairs who can

barely move a muscle, and yet he has them doing something, and I think the confidence that gives

people is just tremendous.

Wendy has been attending his class for a year.

Carl will do it so you're able to do it.

Instead of making you adapt to the techniques, he'll adapt them to you.

'I started my classes because I wanted to teach as many different abilities as I could'

and make them aware that they can achieve pretty much what they want.

Not only does he teach classes four times a week,

but he's also been volunteering at a local country park for the last

14 years, working alongside Murray.

He immediately threw himself into the work.

Everything from working on the estate, doing heavy estate work,

to actually teaching kids and working with school groups and things.

Diane and Rob know it's just in Carl's nature to want to help.

'He likes to help anybody he can.'

And I think having a disabled child sounds like,

to many people, a negative experience, but to Rob and I,

it's been a very positive experience

and we're just very pleased with him.

He sounds like an inspirational chap,

and now I've finally got the chance to meet him.

But I've got to be careful.

If he twigs what's going on, the game's up.

-Hello.

-Hi, hello.

'Carl lives here with his sister, Emma, who is also in on the secret.'

-Oh, hello.

-Hi.

Hello there. That was a surprise.

Look, we're looking... Carl, we're looking for bric-a-brac,

we're looking for anything that we can sell on our craft stall,

we're looking for old pictures, something that we could sell.

-OK. Well, we can...

-Have a look.

-Definitely have a look, yeah.

-Can I...?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-Come through, it's this way.

-Brilliant.

'So far, so good. He doesn't suspect a thing.'

What's Champ? What's that?

I am a, believe it or not, I am a freestyle kick boxing instructor.

-A kick boxer?

-Yes.

Kick boxing instructor.

If I hypothetically cut my body in half...

-Sure. You've still got the...

-I've still got these as my feet.

-Exactly.

-And these are my legs.

So, I teach like that.

-Emma's one of my students.

-Are you really?

-I am, yes.

-Can you show me one or two things?

What we do is I would like you to start off with your feet,

shoulder-width apart, take a comfortable step with your right foot, so backwards.

-And then, like a boxer...

-OK, that's the basic pose?

-Yeah.

-Ready to...

Or to...

-He's good, isn't he?

-He's got it.

-You can already do it?

No! Could you do some kind of martial display?

-I would love to.

-Could you?

-Yeah.

-Well, look, come and help us out for the party.

But, in the meantime, can you help us out right now?

-Can we still get in your shed and have a look?

-Yes.

'As well as well as offering to do a kick boxing demo on the day,

'he and Emma are also donating a good load of stuff from their shed

'for the bric-a-brac stall.'

That's really pretty, isn't it? It's got the look. That will clean up nicely.

I think so.

'We've got a couple of shelving units, some pink dumbbells and a yoga ball.'

That is brilliant.

'We should get £10-£20 for that lot.'

-Look, thank you very much.

-Thank you.

-I look forward to seeing you both at the street party.

-Oh, we'll be there.

-Don't let us down.

Just goes to show, you know, we are helping the right person here,

aren't we? He really is a champion.

That wheelchair, it's not a barrier for him, it's not a restriction, you know?

Nothing gets in his way.

So Danny and I, we've got to follow his lead,

we're going to help this bloke, because he deserves it.

The sun has been shining on us in Monks Kirby today.

Danny and I are both feeling pretty pleased with our haul.

We've just got one more thing to do, and that's unload the van to see

which of us has collected the most and find some items to send over to the saleroom.

I think we upcycle that, don't you?

-Definitely, Paul.

-A pretty colour for a bedroom.

I wouldn't go bright, I'd go a softer shade.

-A softer shade.

-Totally agree with you.

Strip it right back. Hopefully, there's, what, 50 quid?

-At least.

-Yeah. OK.

Now, I like these.

These old steel cattle feeders can be used as wall-mounted flower baskets, too.

Anyone can put the mesh in.

-Yeah.

-And then they can fill it with moss, fill it with some plants, can't they?

-Yes.

We'll send those off to the saleroom.

And then how much will we get for those four?

Well, we'd be looking at £20-£30 for the four, probably.

Brilliant. Beach bentwood stool, 1930s.

It's got that lovely sort of Parisian cafe look to it.

Nigel's old pub stool looks tired and in need of a face-lift.

A lick of paint is sure to brighten it up.

So we're going to upcycle that?

-We're going to upcycle that.

-What do you think it will make?

£10-£15.

-That'll do.

-Now, I like that.

-I bet you do.

-Best thing of the day?

Definitely, without a doubt.

Shall we put that in the saleroom?

-Yes, I totally agree with you.

-Now, lovely early typewriter.

-An Underwood typewriter.

-Yes.

This Underwood typewriter is nearly 100 years old.

It's not in working order, but very decorative.

I'll sell that on the pop-up rostrum.

I think one of these sewing machines could go off

to the saleroom auction as well, because we've got two.

I think that one's earlier, the Bradbury.

-Yes.

-And I think it's slightly rarer.

It's got a little more going for it.

That Bradbury, it's got some nice decoration on it as well.

Yes, the original base, the original box.

-Yes.

-That's decided, then.

Diane's Bradbury sewing machine is heading for the saleroom,

and I'll put the Singer on the pop-up rostrum.

Maybe £50 in total, there.

And I'll sell the projector on the pop-up rostrum, too.

Tell you what, though, Paul, we seem to be coming to the end of your line now.

Yes, we are. That's because...

We'd better concentrate on my row.

I tell you what, that's a nice touch, that is.

-Yeah, I love it.

-That old saddle on the top.

-Yeah, Brooks saddle. That's going in the pop-up.

-That's going in the pop-up.

-That Denby's quite nice, don't you think?

-Oh, yes, I got some Denby as well.

-I got some Denby over there.

-Oh!

Ain't got a touch on my set, though.

I've got six cups.

And saucers.

OK, so you are Danny, champion of the world!

HE LAUGHS

-Thank you very much.

-Couldn't do it without you.

-Nice one, Paul.

-But our work's not finished yet. This is a brilliant, brilliant start.

Everybody in this community has done us proud.

We need them to pull together now to do an awful lot more on the day.

It's the morning of the street auction.

We need all hands to the pump

to unload the van and deck the street in bunting.

Right, Danny. It's raining, but all this is going to blow over.

-Well, I hope so.

-It better.

We've got a lot of good gear here.

We have. And you see that little house up there, look?

-That's where Carl lives.

-Ah.

-So, voices down, OK?

He's going to be helping us today.

And, fingers crossed, he hasn't twigged a thing yet.

That's the way we want to keep it.

-Absolutely.

-And do you know what, Danny?

Since we've been chatting, it's stopped.

Let's get on with it. We've got a van of stuff to unload.

Oh, this brings back memories.

-I remember the bike.

-We've got the projectors and stuff.

It was a good day's work there, wasn't it?

-It was, yeah.

-It all came good at the end.

Yes, indeed. Just got to sell it.

While Danny gets on hanging the bunting,

I've spied Carl coming out of his house.

When we had our rummage, you said you were going to do some kick boxing.

-Can you still do that?

-I'm going to...

You got the guys?

-Yeah, I've got a group and I'll do a nice demonstration.

-Brilliant.

Right, now to get the neighbours together.

But I'm concerned I can only see three of them volunteering.

There must be more than this.

-Morning, everyone.

-Morning.

-Hello.

I see you've already met Danny.

Danny's handing out the sashes.

Pauline, it's great to see you again.

And I met Barbara, didn't I, Barbara?

-This is my bike.

-That's your bike. And Jane.

Emma? Are you helping us?

-Hi. Yeah.

-Hello.

-How are you?

-Good to see you again.

-Good to see you too.

We've got about four or five bric-a-brac tables.

We've got a craft table, plant table.

Kids' toys table.

Are there any more volunteers turning up,

because I think we are going to struggle with just the five of us.

My sister's coming.

1.30. That's OK. And if the community turn up, and do their bit,

-which I'm sure they will, because they love this guy...

-Yeah.

-..then we can do it. OK?

-We can do it.

Good luck, everyone. Any problems, see Danny or see Alex or come to me.

OK? And I'll catch up with you later.

There's a lot to do today.

And if we don't have enough people to help,

this street auction might never get off the ground.

Meanwhile, Danny's found a late donation.

Look what we've got here. A lovely, turn-of-the-century, 1920s,

it looks like a little band saw.

It's actually a treadle fret saw,

used to cut ornamental designs in wood.

Made by British company Hobbies since 1895.

Isn't that lovely?

I think it's absolutely fantastic.

Yeah, great condition.

I reckon there's about £100 there.

And we've also got... I think it's your dressing table.

-Right.

-I suppose, what with the rain this morning...

-It has discoloured it a little bit.

-Oh, no!

We let the air get to that, because that's got to dry.

Once that's dry, we can give it a coat of paint.

Let's get it in the sun.

'I really hope we can get that dresser sorted by the time the street auction opens.'

It's supposedly weatherproof and waterproof but unfortunately...

That's not.

But at least our volunteers are finding items of bric-a-brac to get

excited about.

I've got Fifty Shades Of Grey!

Oh, in Monks Kirby!

You never know, Barbara.

And Jane's blowing her own trumpet.

-There's a special technique in that, you know.

-Is there?

-Yeah. I'm not going to have a go,

I might get a hernia.

Now, that water-soaked dresser I left Danny with was originally dark wood and very tatty.

But after a bit of a touch-up, it looks like new again.

We've made it more adaptable.

Because now it's a dressing table.

It's a sideboard.

Lovely pastel colours.

-I'm pleased with that.

-We could get £20 for that now.

Remember that bentwood stool from the pub?

Classic, traditional.

But we've made it a little bit different today.

Painted it bright yellow.

It looks cool, it looks funky, it looks trendy.

That should fetch at least £15 now.

And with a few finishing touches, the stalls are looking enticing.

And we're ready to get this show on the road.

It looks like the whole community has come together, and what a day.

ALL: Five, four, three, two, one.

It's now or never. Let's go.

CHEERING

It's time for people to start buying.

And I've got an idea to maximise our profits on this hot day.

That could be the best dog bowl you've ever bought.

How about that? A bit of blue and white, a bit of willow pattern.

-50p.

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

I've just realised more volunteers have turned up as well.

So that's good. I think we've got the stalls manned.

Danny's doing his stuff over there.

-Eight quid? You can do that, can't you?

-Yeah.

-Lovely.

-Two...

-Yeah.

-..five...

-Yeah.

-..eight...

-Yeah.

-Give us a tenner.

-OK.

I caught up with Margaret,

who lives in the street and knows Carl well.

-Do you live in the area?

-Yes.

-I live just up there.

-Where?

-Up there.

-Do you know who this is for?

-Do you know what we're doing here today?

-Mm-hm.

-You do.

-Yeah.

-It's top secret.

He's great. And he's somebody who won't let anyone else down.

He's a really lovely lad.

And she's not the only one who knows Carl.

Sue lives next door to him.

What more can you say? He's one of the best.

And if you want help, he's there.

It seems we're all doing this for the right person.

And to add to our target, Danny's got a buyer for the vicar's jug.

Nice bit of Denby, this.

1980s. From around there, I would have thought.

Look cracking in your kitchen. And a tenner, lovely.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

That £10 more towards our target for Carl,

and his older sister Sarah knows how much he deserves it.

I've just had a chat to him. He hasn't got a clue. So we have got away with it.

Yes, it's fantastic.

-He deserves all this.

-He really does.

He's had a really tough time growing up.

He's really struggled. His whole childhood has been battle after battle and so, I'm so proud of him.

And as the party is in full swing,

donations are still coming in thick and fast for Carl.

I've just bumped into Ken here, who's a local resident,

and he's just donated another sewing machine.

It was sat on a shelf at home. I live just round the corner.

It was collecting dust until this morning.

I can't believe we've got another one.

It's an 1870s Canadian Wanzer sewing machine,

advertised as the great mechanical success of the age.

-Thank you very much.

-You're welcome.

Over at the toy stall, Danny's become a car salesman...

That's a Ferrari.

That looks like a sports car.

It's got one door missing, but...

That's a lovely Jag.

..while I'm drumming up business of my own.

Come and hook a duck, anybody! Hook a duck.

And I've reeled someone in.

-Nearly.

-It's not that easy, is it?

-No.

-There we are.

Got one.

-Yes!

-I tell you what, that's quite difficult.

That's enough to drive you quackers!

There's a final rush to grab a bargain before the stalls close.

The cakes have almost sold out, and Carl's demo has gone down a storm.

But, while the cash is flowing here,

can the same be said in the saleroom where we sent our most prized finds?

Carl's parents, Diane and Rob,

went along to see how they fared under the hammer.

The auctioneer is Tom Keane.

At £30, gone at £30.

'First up, guess what? A sewing machine with a £15-£20 estimate.

'It should reach that easily.'

Number Ten, the bygone Bradbury table top sewing machine.

£10, the sewing machine, £10.

I'm bid at £10, give me 12, at £10 so far, 12, do we have 15?

For this sewing machine, at £12, at £12, we have £12, we have £12.

HAMMER THUDS

-£12.

-Oh, well, never mind.

Well, someone got themselves a real bargain there.

'Next up is the beautiful sculpture donated by Gina.

'I didn't know anything about this piece, but it's got an estimate of just £15-£20.

'We thought it could have been more.

'Let's see how it goes.'

A late 20th-century sculpture, dancing nymphs.

That might go better.

A bit of sculpture, £10 for it, £10 for it, £10?

£5?

INDISTINCT

£5. A bid at 5, a bid at 5...

INDISTINCT

At £5, a bid at 5, at £5. I'm bid at £5.

We're done at £5.

HAMMER THUDS

£5. Better than nothing, I suppose.

Oh, no, that was really disappointing.

There just weren't the bidders in the room for it today.

I've got my hopes pinned on the cattle feeders now.

Not a prized antique, but could come in very useful for garden lovers.

They've got an estimate of £30-£40.

Four early 20th-century iron wall-mounted cattle feeders.

£30-£40 for this.

£20? £10? 10, I'm bid at 10.

A tenner.

Come on, come on, come on.

15, 18, 20, 22, 25, 28. At £25...

The bid here's at 25, and gone at 25.

HAMMER THUDS

That's that.

That's a real blow to us reaching our target.

But back on the street, we're counting the money,

and I really hope we've had more success.

Guess how much we made in the auction?

Oh, in the auction, well, I would imagine 400.

-£42.

-42?

£42.

You know the sculpture you were raving about?

That made a fiver.

-You're joking!

-No, I'm not, Danny.

Well, I tell you something, and I tell you something now...

Today, we've raised £782.32.

So, add the £42, that's £824.32.

We need £1,000.

I've got to get just under 200 quid on the rostrum.

It's all down to you now.

Now I've got to get up there and work, and so have you.

You're my porter, come on.

It's all down to you now!

42 quid in the auction room, Danny!

-I tell you what...

-That was your...

..that sculpture was worth a lot more money than that.

A fiver! It got a fiver!

Now it's time to focus on the task in hand.

Right, £200, that's what we need.

Am I going to do it? We'll find out.

We'll find out.

First up, we've got our upcycled bentwood stool.

A beechwood bentwood stool, sort of circa 1950,

but we have given it a fresh lick of paint in primrose yellow.

-What can I take, 18?

-Yes.

-18, thank you. 20?

-Yes.

Yes, it's against you now at the back.

£20 with me down on the front.

22? The hand's going up in the air!

22! Thank you.

Fair warning, it's going once, twice, sold! £22.

'Excellent price.

'Just goes to show what a lick of paint can do.

'Will the dresser do any better, now it's been restored from the rain?'

So, who's going to start me off with a bid of £10 for this?

Surely it's worth that. There you go, 10 straight in.

12. The bid is now against you.

Can I take 15?

15? Yes! £15, now.

Fair warning, I'm selling at 15.

Sold!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

That dresser was a bargain.

But with a total of £37, our upcycled items have done the job.

Now for Jane's Denby tea set.

And Danny knows its value.

Must be worth £40, I'm sure, of anybody's money.

25, thank you, I've got a bid of £25.

And I'm selling at 25.

Fair warning. £30, thank you.

£35. They love their Denby here.

Can you make that 40, sir?

-No!

-No, he can't!

LAUGHTER

Can you make it 36?

-40.

-£40, 41.

It's going once, twice, sold, £41.

CHEERING

'She's on a roll.

'The vintage bike achieved a decent price.'

Thank you, £40, and as the bells toll, I'm selling at 40.

Sold, thank you, £40.

And the treadle fret saw went for top money.

And I'm selling at 90.

It's going once, twice, sold. Thank you.

Brilliant. Next up are the items donated by the village school.

'The Underwood typewriter must be worth at least £10.'

Great prop in anybody's office.

Oh, that is, isn't it?

Thank you, £10, 15, £15, it's against you now.

You're up. £15 is with me, and I'm selling at 15.

It's going once, twice, sold. Thank you, £15.

'Excellent. Better than expected.

'And the Singer sewing machine got a decent price, too.'

Going to make that 15, 15.

Sold, £15.

'And the projector proved a "reel" hit!'

Fair warning, I'm selling at 15, selling once, twice, sold, thank you.

'Now for our final lot.

'Ken's antique sewing machine.

'Diane's Bradbury sold at the saleroom for £12.

'And the Singer for 15.

'Will this do any better?'

Thank you, £25. 26? 26. 27. 28. 29. 30.

You're out. £30.

And I'm selling at 30.

Fair warning, it's going once, twice, sold, £30.

Thank you so much. You've all been so generous.

Stay with us, because we've got to tot these figures up

and then all will be revealed.

So, please, give us three or four minutes to tot these figures up.

Fantastic bidding from a fantastic community.

And now it's the moment of truth.

Have we made our target?

We set out to hit a target of £1,000 today.

Now, together, we didn't get £1,000.

We smashed it. We got £1,353.32.

So thank you very much! Thank you so much!

You have been absolutely brilliant.

Danny and I have been proud to be part of this, and we've got to know many of you.

And many of you know what this is all about.

We've had to tell a few fibs, haven't we, Danny?

-Definitely!

-We've roped one person in under false pretences.

We really have. And I guess it's time to come clean.

Because today has been about raising money for a very special person who

does so much for this community, who is a big part of this community.

Despite what he has had to overcome,

he has managed to carry on helping this community, giving so much.

He's also a black belt,

and I think he's just worked out it's all for him!

Carl Hodgetts, this is all for you! All of these people have come here

to say a very, very big thank you for all the work you've done.

This is your party.

Oh, my goodness!

We've managed to keep this a secret.

You're telling me you have!

LAUGHTER

Oh... I need to sit down!

LAUGHTER

Hang on a minute, I just want you to read this out.

-I'm just trying to take it all in.

-Oh, come on.

"We wanted..." Hm.

"To Carl, we want to show you how much we appreciate you and all that you do,

"so today, we've raised money to make all the adaptions to your new car..."

CARL SNIFFS

"..and give you and three friends an expense-paid trip to Lord's Cricket Ground.

"From all your friends, family and neighbours."

Oh, my goodness.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Now, you tell us what you think now.

How on earth have you done this?

LAUGHTER

I just can't get my head around it.

Thank you a lot, thank you very much.

I've always wanted to go to Lord's Cricket Ground. It's brilliant. Yeah, yeah.

-Crikey.

-You're an inspiration to everybody here.

And thank you, everybody, for turning up and making this a brilliant day.

We smashed that target, and it's all for you, Carl.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

It's just been a tough, tough struggle, but all the time,

all the way through it, he just thinks of other people.

So it's so nice that he's had something back now and some recognition.

This is a community working as a community.

That's what it's all about.

Absolutely fantastic. It's been far better than I ever imagined.

The reaction from the community's unbelievable.

I didn't realise that so many people knew Carl.

And I could really tell that he was really touched by it.

What a surprise. He didn't twig it.

We succeeded. We smashed that target.

That is what this is all about,

the community coming together to make this work and, boy,

did it happen today?

What a street party it's been.

I hope you've enjoyed the show. Keep watching,

because we could be in your street the next time,

and this party and this auction could be for you. Goodbye.

And, since the street auction,

Carl and his friends have had a great day at Lord's,

and he's in the process of getting his new car adapted.