Frome Street Auction

We're all getting older and, for some people, that can be a lonely

and worrying experience.

Even if we've lived in the same area for years,

many people never get to know their neighbours properly.

Well, today, for the people of this town,

all of that is going to change.

We're bringing everybody together for one huge street party

and it's all for one special person.

A person who refuses to let age slow him down,

who works tirelessly for others, many of them younger than himself -

91-year-old Jo Dismore.

He makes me look a sloth...

-..sadly.

-I don't know what I'd do without him.

We think Jo deserves a thank you for his devotion to helping people,

so we're holding a street auction to do something nice just for him.

Three, two, one.

Yeah!

We'll be leaving no stone unturned in our quest to pull in the cash.

Oh, that is great!

That is a lovely set.

Brilliant.

And giving you the ultimate guide to the hidden treasures

in your home.

It's a nice early 20th century rock wash bowl.

Four massive boxes full of

wall-hanging collectors' plates. Hoo-hoo!

But how much money can be made before we reveal to Jo

it's all for him?

APPLAUSE

Today, we're in a market town once famed for its cloth-making

and now home to about 27,000 people.

It's the Somerset town of Frome.

Jo Dismore has been living in the area for around 30 years.

He's always been active in the community.

Most people would put their feet up at the grand old age of 91. Not him.

Jo is an absolute inspiration.

I'm not quite as old as he, but he's a hell of a guy to follow.

Jo was born and grew up in Surrey.

Like many young men of his generation,

his life changed with the outbreak of the Second World War.

When I joined the Navy, I was 17,

I was staff navigator to the minesweeping force.

It is dangerous,

but you don't actually think about things like that.

You're just doing what you're doing.

After the war finished,

I transferred into the Merchant Navy and then I got married.

Jo's glamorous wife was a young actress called Rosemary James.

Oh, it was certainly love at first sight.

And she was so elegant and she was very talented, too.

Jo and Rosemary went on to have two sons and a daughter, Emma.

My parents were always very close.

I think the romance was there all the way through their marriage,

a very strong marriage.

Jo and Rosemary enjoyed a busy life,

much of it devoted to helping others.

They were quite involved with the local house for older people

and Mum would go quite often and do quite a lot of help there.

She was a councillor for the bereaved.

But six years ago,

Jo and Rosemary's happy and active life together was cut short.

Well, Rosemary's end, I'm afraid, was...

..tragic.

When she first experienced back pain,

no-one thought too much about it.

She had had all these problems, but she was carrying on in a normal way.

In fact, what was happening was that she had cancer.

For Jo and his family, the news couldn't have been worse.

They told us that there was nothing that they could do and...

..we brought her home and we just watched her...

..watched her die.

Just a few weeks after she fell ill, Rosemary sadly died,

surrounded by her large and loving family.

Obviously initially when she first died, he was very upset, of course,

and he showed it in lots of different ways.

But then I said, "Well...

"..there two things I can do.

"I can sit back and wait for my time to come,

"or I can get up and jolly well do something and make myself useful."

Jo now spends his days driving elderly folk to hospital,

volunteering with a befriending charity

and reading newspapers for the blind.

I don't think you could be more proud of someone, you know.

He's one in a million, you don't get many like Dad.

As a thank you for his selfless work,

we want to send theatre-loving Jo on a VIP trip

to Bath's Royal Theatre.

We're also hoping to erect a plaque to him

and his late wife in the theatre.

The whole thing will cost £1,000,

and here's how we're going to raise the cash.

We've asked all of Jo's neighbours, friends and family and loved ones

to donate any unwanted items they have in their house,

in their garage, in their sheds, that's just gathering dust

so we can sell them here at our street party in a pop-up auction.

And all the time, we're keeping this a secret from Jo.

He hasn't got a clue any of this is for him.

Now, it is a huge task,

so I've drafted in the help of a couple of friends

who know their treasure from their trash.

They arrived here a few weeks ago to get the wheels in motion.

Izzie Balmer is an auctioneer with a keen eye for quality.

Danny Sebastian's a seasoned antique dealer.

-Welcome to sunny...

-Frome!

-Frome it is.

It's really lovely here, there seems to be a lot of houses around here.

I've just kind of got this feeling today...

-Absolutely.

-..we might get some good stuff on the rummage.

-I'm buzzing.

-So you should be.

So I am going to take up the road.

-I'll go down the road.

-Ciao for now.

-See you later.

Danny and Izzie will be fighting it out to see who can collect

the best donations from Jo's neighbours.

You're in a bit of a rush, aren't you?

Yeah, there's a box up here.

And they're both off to a promising start.

Straight away people are leaving us stuff.

This is what we're talking about.

This vase has caught my attention.

So, it's actually just a modern vase,

but it's got this Art Nouveau look to it.

It is...

..I think, ceramic, but bronzed, we call it.

So it's not bronze, it's bronzed ceramic.

And on the bric-a-brac, a couple of pounds,

would look lovely with a bunch of daffodils or roses in it.

Marc Bolan, Jimi Hendrix,

Status Quo, Jim Reeves.

I mean, I love Jim Reeves,

but he's not the most favourite on everyone's record player.

But let me tell you something - and listen to me keenly -

vinyl is on the up, up, up. It's on fire.

Danny's not wrong.

But any of us who are old enough to remember the horror

of scratched vinyl will know that condition is king,

and with some records going for hundreds, even thousands,

there's some smart money to be made.

Up here for thinking...

..these are for dancing.

-Can I give you them one at a time?

-Yep.

Oh, they're quite light, aren't they?

-So, if we just get them out.

-OK.

Very useful, very contemporary, nice outdoor chairs.

Well, you can have these two wooden stools, if you like.

-Let's have a look.

-All right.

-Oh, no, these are great.

-OK.

-These will be brilliant for upcycling,

-just with a lick of paint or something.

-Great.

-Thank you.

I like these stools.

Rub this wood down, get this nice grain coming out.

With a coat of varnish, it'll be a beauty.

And probably something Paul could consider selling on the pop-up.

Yep. Once they've been sanded down and painted,

I reckon they'll easily get a tenner apiece on the pop-up.

Izzie's doing well.

Danny, on the other hand, well, he's getting a bit distracted.

Hello, you!

They're good 'uns, aren't they? Are they only young?

-No, they're ten.

-They're ten.

-Are they ten?

Well looked after. Let's have a look what we've got.

-Lovely, that.

-Yeah. Nice bird cage.

-Nice bird cage.

I'll just put this here...

..cos I think we've got a lot coming out, haven't we?

Well, there is, but most of it's in the loft -

not that a minor detail like that would ever put our Danny off.

Shall I come back later?

Yeah, if you want to come back this afternoon.

What time's best for you? Cos I don't want to put you out.

-Well, you have already.

-Oh, well, if that's the case, then,

I don't want to put you out too much, then.

-Between two and three.

-Between two and three, I'll be here.

-OK.

I'm going to let you carry on

-because the dogs need to go for a walk, don't they?

-They do.

And they're getting a bit snappy now because...

-Yeah, they're getting vicious now.

-They're getting vicious now!

They wouldn't bite a bone, them two.

-Ta-ra.

-Ta-ra.

-Thank you, bye!

That is a lovely set. I've fell on my feet here.

A lovely knife set.

Oneida has been going since the late 1880s, you know,

we must be looking £20-£25 for the set.

That might even go into auction.

But my cream, look at this lovely screen.

I don't really think it's that old, but of fine quality.

The screen has got to bring home 20, 30,

maybe even £40 if we find the right buyer.

It's a bit small for you, Danny.

-So, what have you got?

-What do you think of this, then?

-Ooh, that is nice!

-Silver.

No? No, it's not, silver-plated.

Get out of here. It's not.

Bit of stainless steel, but it's the full set.

-It's nice.

-What about the screen?

-You know what? I like it.

When I saw it over the road and you had it turned around,

I didn't rate it, but, yeah, I like it.

-You ain't got time to be talking.

-I haven't, I need to get going,

-so I'll see you later.

-See you soon.

-Bye!

I don't actually think this has been left out,

I think this is just a decoration in the garden

where they've sort of got these plants and pots.

I better leave them.

-No, thank you very much.

-Bye.

-Bye-bye.

-Do you want me to come with you?

-Yes.

-Shall I come with you?

-Yeah, you can come with me.

-BELL RINGS

-Nobody home.

-Where are we going, in the garage?

-Going in the garage, darling, yeah.

-Ooh, I love the garage.

I must admit, I am getting a bit concerned

at how much Danny is managing to get.

And my grandchildren and I will be pleased

that it's going to somewhere good.

Yeah, well, they might come back on the day and buy it.

No.

While Izzie hits a dry patch,

it seems like Danny can't put a foot wrong.

-Oh, a bit of a toy box.

-Yes.

Oh, lovely. What's that?

-That one?

-Yes.

-That's an old...

-A meat safe?

-Yes.

-It's an old meat safe, isn't it?

-Yes.

It was my husband's grandmother's.

-That won't be going nowhere.

-No.

Well, that's a shame, but Danny still nabbed a nice little lot.

Upcycling the pair of pine boxes will give them a new lease of life

for as little as a tenner.

And there's plenty for the bric-a-brac stalls.

A figurine here.

Straight away I can tell it's made of resin.

Give it a knock, it sounds like wood.

It's definitely not got the ring of a nice porcelain about it.

Having said that, it's still a lovely piece.

And I'm sure we'll be able to get a few quid for this great cause.

-JO:

-Do you want a coffee?

It's hard to imagine a more worthy recipient than Jo.

For a man of his great age, he is truly extraordinary.

But there's no doubt that the person who continues to inspire him

is the young actress he met almost 70 years ago.

Meeting my wife was very romantic.

My mother lived in Truro and she took me along to see a play.

And I saw this vision on the stage who eventually became my wife.

I mean, I was absolutely overwhelmed.

And after a very, very short...

..engagement, we got married.

What really sets Jo apart is his absolute refusal to give up.

Despite losing the love of his life after 61 happy years of marriage,

he's thrown himself into his role as an active member of this community.

I like to pay a bit back, cos I've had a good life.

Life's been good to me.

I'm lucky.

And the residents of Frome are lucky to have him living here

because there aren't many local charities he doesn't support.

I was a volunteer at the tourist information centre

and I was a police volunteer

and we manned the police post in the marketplace.

But it happened that in the police post,

there was an advert for Active And In Touch.

Active And In Touch befriends lonely elderly people in the area,

and Jo is one of the most committed volunteers.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-Hello!

How are you?

Danny's at the charity HQ in Frome Town Hall to find out just what

motivates Jo to work so tirelessly for others.

Tell me, I mean, what actually does he do?

Jo is just incredible.

He's 91, nearly 92, he helps all sorts of different people.

He lost his wife, Rosemary. How does he still keep on going?

I just think it's part of Jo.

He's the sort of person that will do anything for anybody.

But he also really recognises what it could be like to be lonely.

He's chosen a different way, he's chosen to help other people.

Quite amazing, really, isn't it,

how comes he's...of a great age and not really had anything

-major wrong with him.

-He did have a stroke, actually,

nearly two years ago.

But he was e-mailing us from the hospital bed.

And actually even before he was fully better,

he was in contact saying, "What's going on?

-"I'll help out once I'm back on."

-Still wanted to be a part of...

Oh, definitely, yeah, yeah.

Are we going to have him at the auction?

He'll be too busy, won't he?

And is there anything you can donate or will you be helping out?

Yeah, definitely. Yeah.

We've got all sorts of bits and bobs here, actually.

We've got, yeah, boxes of stuff.

And also I've got a car load of stuff that Jo has given me

for what he thought was another event we were doing.

It's typical of Jo to rush to donate to a good cause.

And husband and wife Charles and Jane

also want to chip in with a donation.

It's at home, so if you want to come round and collect it later,

then you're very welcome, and I think it'll go well.

I'm going to look forward to finding out what that is this afternoon.

This is a secret. So do you think you'll be able to keep it a secret?

Yeah...

Let's just hope, in this tight-knit community, they can.

Back out on the street,

Izzie's come across another box of goodies left outside just for us.

They're actually nice, you know?

They are stoneware planters,

they've got this lovely glaze on both of them.

They're slightly Arts and Craft-y,

really nice to have a good-size plant in each of these.

And then we can give them to Paul to sell on the pop-up,

and when they're all done up like that with some nice plants in them,

we might get £15 for them.

It's perfect for the pop-up auction, so I'll do my best.

With Izzie snapping at his heels,

Danny's back with this morning's dog walkers.

-BARKING

-Hey, calm down, you two.

Calm down now. I thought we were mates!

Thank goodness the owners are more welcoming than their pets.

-How are you, Rose?

-I'm fine.

-You're fine, that's good.

Now, these are all wall plates.

-Ooh.

-Right?

-Nice, aren't they?

-All different types.

-All different types.

-Birds, wildlife, Russian ones and...

Very nice. Russian stuff's very hot at the minute.

Anyway, how come you've got so many plates

and why are you getting rid of them?

I collected them for about 25 years.

Well, you did something right - you kept all the boxes.

The first collectors' plates were made in Denmark in 1895

and they can go for four-figure sums.

Rose's collection isn't in that league,

but what it lacks in quality it makes up in quantity.

Four massive boxes full of

wall-hanging collectors' plates, hoo-hoo!

Izzie, you're in big bother, girl.

DOG BARKS

It's an interesting find,

but I'm not sure Danny can claim to be top dog just yet.

-Ooh, hello, sir.

-I don't know if it's any use to you.

-It's an awning.

-That would be brilliant.

-It's almost brand-new.

-No, that would be perfect.

Can we have a look? To go on the outside of the caravan?

Sit in it, you'll have a bit of extra space.

I'm glad we've got the instructions.

Too right. A happy camper is a camper armed with instructions.

Best of all, it means we'll make more on the awning.

-WHISPERING:

-This is actually quite heavy.

There are over a million caravans in the UK,

and I reckon that here in the West Country they've got more

than their fair share. I have hopes for this one.

Brilliant. We'll see you then, thank you very much.

-Thanks, all right.

-Thank you, bye-bye.

-Bye, then.

It's beginning to look like Izzie's got this covered.

We're looking for some donations of items

for a very special person called Jo.

-Oh, yeah, I know Jo.

-You know Jo?

-Come in.

-Come in?

-Yeah.

Jean is 83 and she has been living with a disability for several years.

Can you tell me a little bit about him?

He's a real gentleman.

He takes me to all sorts of places, mainly for hospital appointments.

He walked ever such a long way down those corridors

and he's not really used to it. I really felt sorry for him.

He sounds like a very, very kind man.

He is. People like us, disabled people,

people who can't get out need the help,

without people like Jo, you know,

it would be very depressing and miserable.

So, Jean, we're going to be doing a big street auction for Jo.

-Oh, lovely.

-You tell me whether or not we've picked the right person

-to do this great deed for.

-I can't think of anyone better.

Jo's obviously an inspiration to everyone he meets.

When he's not helping out people like Jean,

he's busy doing all kinds of other charitable work.

In the last few years,

my father has thrown himself into anything you can think of.

I'm really proud of my grandpa.

He's done his advanced driving course.

I haven't even done that!

He's helping this man called Howard and he just goes and sees him,

befriends him, talks to him.

He records for the blind,

books and the newspaper particularly for the blind,

on the radio.

There was a story repeated in many parts of the NHS.

He's out and about every single day,

can hardly get the time to see him in his calendar, he's so busy,

so it's wonderful.

Let's hope he's in today because Izzie's about to pop round.

And fingers crossed he doesn't cotton on to what we're up to.

I've actually got butterflies.

Here we go.

This is always a nerve-racking moment. Good luck, Izzie.

Hello. My name's Izzie.

-DOG BARKS

-Is this your little guard dog?

Yeah, he's my guard dog.

Are you a part of the auction thing?

Yes, we are, yes.

Jo's been in the Frome area for over two decades

and has lived alone in this house for the last six years

with just his little dog, Otto, for company.

And you don't get lonely?

-Well, I suppose I might do sometimes.

-Yes.

I used to have a wife.

She died, what? Six years ago.

-What was her name?

-Rosemary.

-That's a lovely name.

Yeah. That's a bit of rosemary there.

You must miss her, then?

Of course, we were married for 61 years.

But then when she died, I decided I could get up and do something.

-How do you fill your days?

-I go to the theatre a lot.

-Oh, lovely. What sort of...?

-In Bath.

-Very nice.

-And I act.

-You act?

-Yes!

-That's incredible.

I was in Witness For The Prosecution.

-And also the Theatre Royal Bath when they did...

-Really?

..Witness. Yeah. But I didn't actually perform.

I had a stroke instead.

-You had a stroke?

-Yes.

That is very bad timing.

People just sit in their homes...

-But not you.

-..just watch... I don't know.

-I'm too busy!

-So are you going to be coming down to the pop-up auction?

I've got it in my book and I really would like to go there.

Circled with red highlighter, we hope, around the date.

No, it's electronic.

You're more up to date than me. I've still got a handwritten diary.

Oh, no. Well, I recommend it.

Get yourself an electronic one.

He is such a remarkable man and - great news -

he's got absolutely no idea what's going on.

So time for one last push.

That's a brand-new toilet there.

And seat.

You can have that if you want.

-That'll do nicely.

-It'll fit somebody.

It's almost an outfit in itself, isn't it?

Thank you very much, appreciate that, thank you very much.

Thank you.

It was my mother-in-law's and she was the one that told me all this.

But it's a nice early 20th-century washbowl, possibly late Victorian,

so it's a good 100 years old.

-Ordinarily it would also have come with a wash jug.

-Yeah.

However, we have only got the wash bowl and it is in bad condition,

so I would say we might be able to get £5 for it.

Colin...

-..you are an absolute diamond.

-My pleasure, nice to meet you.

-And you're a generous one.

-Some jewellery.

All costume, but nice pieces. Again, some very, very sellable things.

It's all in good condition, which is nice.

Before he wraps up, Danny's got one more stop-off.

-Hello.

-Hello, Jane.

Time to discover what mystery item Jo's friends, Jane and Charles,

have got up their sleeves.

-What we've got is...

-We have a rocking horse for you.

Well, you had me stumped. I wasn't expecting it at all, to be honest.

-I'm sure you weren't!

-I was expecting some sort of games

-or something quite simple.

-No, no.

I've been keeping it for a... a good event.

-This is a good event. So...

-A fabulous event.

It's appropriate to donate that.

It is new so it's perfectly clean and...

-It's lovely.

-Yeah.

-I think it's not so much about the date of it, is it?

-It's more the fun that kids...

-No, it's not an antique.

No, well, there's going to be a lot of fun,

-we know there's going to be a lot of fun come with that.

-Yes.

I think we will get a good price.

-I think we need to put this into Paul's pop-up auction.

-Yes.

He works the crowd and I think he's going to achieve a good price

-with this.

-That would be good.

Old or new, rocking horses sell themselves, really.

Antique ones can fetch upwards of £500.

This one's not old but it's still worth £40 of anyone's money.

-Best of luck.

-Thank you, Charles, I'll see you on the day.

-Yes.

-Thank you, Jane.

-You're welcome, Danny.

Well, it's the moment of truth.

Let's see what they've got and, more importantly,

which items are good enough to go to the saleroom.

So, show me your stuff.

I've got some nice pieces.

-A nice stainless steel set here.

-I'd buy that, I like that.

-Quite nice. Well, it's complete.

-Yes.

-Nice couple of pieces here.

These little storage boxes

-which I think are great for, like...

-Yes.

-..to upcycle.

-Definitely.

-What about me screen?

-I like your screen.

I've got something here that I would like you to have a look at.

It's a collection of wall plates.

-All in perfect condition, all boxed.

-OK.

So we've got some Bradford Exchange...

Bradford Exchange has been selling plates since 1973.

The company boomed during the heyday of plate-collecting in the 1970s

and '80s, but have they held their value?

At auction, you're looking at about 50p but, you know,

you could be up to about £1 per plate for the Wedgwood.

If you've got any Dalton, same again.

We've got more than 50, so they could serve up a tasty profit.

But what about ceramics at the other end of the market?

-Is this your creme de la creme?

-Well, it's...

-It's a lavatory.

-Oh, OK!

-But it's boxed up and it's brand-new.

It's got this new soft lid on it.

-And...

-A new soft lid.

-Yeah, a slow-close lid.

-We all need a soft lid on our toilet.

-Well, you know...

Novelty value alone isn't going to make it worth a tenner.

Thank goodness it's new.

What about your lot?

So these are what I thought we could get upcycled.

I like them. And I think Paul will like them, an' all.

Yep, I think we can make £20 on the stools when they've had a makeover.

But I've asked Danny and Izzie to pick out a star buy from their lots,

and I can't wait to see them. Danny's first.

-What do you think of him, then?

-Oh! I love him.

What do you think of him?

It's not an old vintage one, it's brand-new

but it's still nice and clean and I think a child's going

to have a lot of fun on that.

So how much do you reckon this is worth?

£40, £50?

I'd say that's a fair bet.

Can Izzie's star buy outrun it?

-Danny, are you ready?

-Yeah, I'm ready, my eyes are closed.

-Have you got any idea?

-Well, it's got to be a tent.

-Caravan awning.

-Lovely.

These, new, make about £500 when they're new.

Oh, good money. Tell you what, I look at triple figures for that.

I'm inclined to agree.

And I definitely want to pitch it in the saleroom.

What else do Danny and Izzie think we can send there?

-The plates, maybe?

-Yes, definitely.

-And the cutlery.

-OK.

So for Paul's pop-up auction, then,

we're taking the rocking horse, the toilet...

-..and the screen.

-And the screen. Yes.

I'm sure he'll achieve a great price, of course he will.

No pressure, then, eh?

Still, there's no time to think about that right now.

Finally the big day's here.

I can't wait to get my hands on all the stuff Danny and Izzie found.

Izzie and Danny are taking turns to help me at our street auctions.

Let's see how far this goes.

Danny's come along today

to push us towards our ambitious £1,000 target.

Thanks very much, Peter.

It's clear that Jo's hard work hasn't gone unnoticed

because the community has come out in force to lend a hand.

Good morning, everyone.

I see you've already met Danny, you're getting sashes on.

Who is going to be doing the bric-a-brac stalls?

-Bric-a-brac, what's your name?

-Ruth.

-Brilliant.

Thank you so much.

Jo's good friends Jane and Charles will be helping Ruth out.

We can't take any of this stuff home.

We want it sold because those £1s and those 50p add up.

If it's £3 and they've only got £2, just let them have it.

Who is doing teas and coffees?

We've got four hands up in the air, that's good.

-What's your name?

-I'm Steve.

-Steve, thank you.

-Gina.

-Gina.

-Edwige.

-What's your name?

-Joan.

-Joan, I love what you're wearing.

-Love the hat.

-Joan of Arc.

-Joan of Arc.

-Can we do it, everyone? ALL:

-Yes!

Yes, of course we can. Good luck.

Everyone's up for chipping in.

Jo's usually first in line when it comes to volunteering

so I'm a bit anxious that he hasn't turned up yet.

Still, it looks like we've managed to rope in

a few more of his friends.

Doing a bit of a tug-of-war.

-What a good idea.

-Anybody else coming along perhaps?

No, I tell you what, we could get the people that turn up into teams,

they could pay to actually try and beat Danny and myself.

-How about that?

-Yay!

-Do you want me to help?

I think... I think that is a money-making opportunity.

Oh, I can see the money adding up now.

But without some decent stuff from our rummage day,

we won't get anywhere near our £1,000 target.

Danny, you and Izzie didn't hang around.

-You can say that again.

-I like the set of four patio chairs.

-They're absolutely fabulous, Izzie got them.

-In mint condition.

Sets of patio furniture can cost hundreds of pounds in the shops,

so these have got to be worth £30 of anyone's money on the rostrum.

And I think it's a fair bet that the rocking horse could make

at least that. So far, so good.

I think the screen's quite nice, as well.

It's got that kind of make-do-and-mend feel about it.

-I know it's slightly new, but do you know what I mean?

-Yes.

It's kind of nice, isn't it?

All that homely charm means that

it's got bags of money-making potential

so I'll definitely be nabbing it to sell and hoping to get at least £20.

PAUL LAUGHS

-What's that, Danny?

-A brand-new lavatory.

-Quite a nice one with a slow lid.

-Oh, yes.

So I think it sings and dances, you know.

I think you're right.

What we could do is, we could sell them as two separate lots.

-Number one and number two.

-Yes. Oh!

PAUL LAUGHS Oh, yes!

Well, I can't say I feel flushed with success

but the rummage-day finds have left me cautiously optimistic.

But now...

-Are you ready for this?

-Yes.

-Thumbs up, good.

..it's the moment we've all been waiting for.

Let's get this party started with a five...

-ALL:

-Four, three, two, one.

Yes!

As the Frome town band gets us off to a rousing start,

it's heart-warming to see the community pulling together for Jo.

-Coming up.

-Cheers.

-There you go.

-Thank you.

50p a book, everyone, 50p! There's some real bargains.

Is there anybody named A?

All good, Captain?

Never been better, sir!

-How are we doing on bric-a-brac here?

-Hurray!

-Yeah?

-Thank you so very much.

-Has he arrived yet?

-Not yet, no. That's the worrying thing!

With the people of Frome arriving in their droves,

everything is in full swing here.

And I want to catch up with Jo's old friend Jane,

who's on the bric-a-brac stall.

-You go back 19 years?

-Yes, I've worked with him for about 19 years.

-I can't wait to meet this guy, do you know that?

-He's fantastic.

Just before his 90th birthday, he had a bucket list,

and one of them was to learn to play the piano

and play a Beethoven piece, which he did.

But he also wanted to take his advanced driving test,

and he passed it, at 90! Advanced! I mean...!

-I mean...

-I couldn't do it!

-..I wish I could do that, yeah.

I know, I know. He's amazing.

-Has it been hard, keeping it a secret?

-Yes.

-I mean, everyone knows everyone around here.

-Yes.

Fingers crossed he turns up soon.

-I hope so.

-Then we'll get a chance to say hello,

have a chat to him before we reveal that all of this is for him.

-I can't wait.

-No, I can't wait.

-He's going to kill us.

Well, I guess that's a chance we'll have to take.

There's plenty of money changing hands here.

Sounds busy. It's two deep here!

Why not?

But hitting our massive £1,000 target will take more

than tea and cupcakes.

Remember Izzie picked up a pair of tired old bar stools

on our rummage?

Well, a quick bit of sanding

and a lick of paint has completely transformed them.

They look so different!

-Look well, don't they?

-What do you think? Sort of £15 a stool,

maybe 30 quid for the pair?

-£15, £20 apiece, I think that's going to be fine.

-Yeah.

Not bad for £5 worth of paint.

Danny's upcycling find was a pair of battered pine toy boxes.

Painting, stencilling and a simple upholstery job

has given them a new lease of life.

They're brilliant!

I didn't expect them to look this good.

I'd like to think we can get the same sort of price, really.

-Maybe £15, £20.

-£15.

-Yeah!

Have a seat, Danny. Take the weight off.

-We've got some good gear.

-Yeah, but will we get good prices?

Well, this is the question. This is the question!

We're not just depending on the money we make here today.

We also sent a couple of our rummage-day items to a saleroom,

and Jo's friends Jane and Lucia

went along to see how they fared

under the hammer of auctioneer Tim Weeks.

First up, Izzie's star find, the caravan awning.

This one's got to pitch up somewhere between £20 and £30.

Just think of the fun you could have trying to match it to a caravan.

What a weekend.

12, 14, 16, I require.

16, thank you.

18, 20. Make it 22 now online.

This is just the kind of saleroom performance

that will get Jo his VIP theatre trip.

Fantastic stuff.

Where are my hands?

-£36.

-36, that's fantastic.

38, back in.

40. 42, any advance, then?

It's had its time.

Hammer comes down, I sell.

Room bid at £40.

Thank you.

A brilliant start.

But can Danny's stainless-steel knife set cut the mustard?

10, 12, 14,

-16, 18. I need 20.

-Oh, that's doing OK.

-Yeah.

I have 22 online.

22, 24, 26, 28.

Make it 30 online. It's 28 in the room, then.

We're all happy and finished.

No further advance. I sell, then, at £28.

-Thank you.

-Brilliant!

-Thank you very much.

Not a bad price,

but my money's always been on the decorative plates Danny unearthed.

There are almost 60 of them,

including Wedgwood and Bradford Exchange pieces.

Estimate, £30 to £50.

For all of those, where's £30?

30 on the net, thank you. Where's 32?

32? I need 34 from you online.

34. 36, sir? 38, make it, online.

-36 I have in the room.

-Come on!

38, 40,

42, 44, 46.

Thank you for trying. 48.

Make it 50 online. Let's round it up to 50.

All done, gent's bid at £48.

-Oh, well.

-Oh...

Well, that's a bargain for so many plates.

It leaves our saleroom total at £116.

But we've still got a mountain to climb.

We're about to close the stalls, and, worryingly,

there's still no sign of Jo.

But Danny's caught up with his friend Lucia.

Is Jo going to come today?

I'm really worried cos he said to me, it's not really his thing.

He doesn't really like to do, you know, sort of things like this.

I mean, he's first on the list on helping with, you know,

anybody one-to-one and doing all that sort of thing,

but a big event like this, I don't know. He'll feel a bit, you know...

-Work your magic.

-I will.

-You better had do! I'll see you a bit later.

So, it's a Jo no-show,

but it looks like the rest of Frome have turned up.

Time to pull in some serious cash.

Three, two, one...

Go!

Wahey!

Come on, team, we've got 'em!

We've got 'em, team!

We've got 'em now!

We've got 'em! We've got 'em!

Yay!

-A little announcement...

-That was a hard one.

-I tell you what...

-I'm worn out, aren't you?

PAUL LAUGHS

With that last-gasp effort,

this part of our fundraising has come to an end.

The stalls are now officially closed, OK?

So thank you very much.

While the team tot up the takings,

I'm still having no luck tracking down our local champion.

But I've found the next-best thing.

Daughter and granddaughter Emma and Hannah.

-Where is Grandad right now?

-Over there.

-Oh, he's here now!

Yes, he is, he's by the Active And In Touch stall,

-talking to some of his friends over there.

-Has he twigged anything?

-I don't think so.

-No?

-No.

How will he react when he finds out all of this is for him?

-I think he'll be quite...

-Shocked.

-..shocked and quite humbled.

-Aw.

And very surprised. Yeah, he'll love it. He'll think it's a real honour.

Well, I've been waiting to meet him all day, and now's my moment.

I'm feeling a bit nervous about this.

Well done, sir, I can see you've bought some plants.

-Are they sweet peas?

-Sweet peas, yes.

-Aw.

-And what's your name?

-Jo Dismore.

-Are you a keen gardener, Jo?

-No, I'm hopeless.

-Oh...

-My wife used to be a superb gardener.

-She had green fingers, did she?

-She had green fingers.

I have fingers of death when it comes to plants.

Oh, don't say that!

What's brought you here today?

Well, I've got all my family.

-So, a bit of a day out on Sunday, then?

-Yes.

-Do you live in Frome?

-Yes.

-It's a nice old town, isn't it?

-How long have you lived here?

-Ten years, I think.

But I've lived in the neighbourhood for a long time.

Right, OK. So, you help out in the community, do you?

Yeah, I do Frome community cars, which is a new...

..set-up for taking people to hospitals, all sorts.

-Yeah. What, and you drive, do you?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-And I also belong to Active And In Touch.

-And what's that?

Well, it's really to look after old people and isolated people.

Oh, people that are lonely, so you go and cheer them up?

Yeah, I go and talk to them every week. I'm nearly 92.

-You're not! Are you really?

-I am.

-You don't look it.

Thank you, sir. The main one I see every Tuesday is 81.

-Oh, is he? He's a mere lad compared to you.

-A mere lad, yeah.

-So what's kept you going, then?

-Just helping people.

-That's the spirit.

-I don't know.

Must be something.

What a lovely, kind, modest man.

A true inspiration.

But unless there's a show-stopping profit on the stalls today,

it'll be curtains for his VIP theatre break.

Danny?

I've found Jo. He's here.

Thank goodness he's here, and he's enjoying himself.

Now, we made £116 in the saleroom auction.

How much have we made here today?

£737 we made today.

That's about 800 and, what? 53, something like that.

-Exactly.

-£853. We're still short of our target.

-Can we do this?

-Definitely can.

-Come on, let's bust that £1,000.

Put it there.

We've got to make at least £147 on the pop-up.

Can we do it? Well, I guess that's down to the good folk of Frome.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for turning up today.

First under the hammer, Danny's homely screen,

worth £10 all day long, I reckon.

Danny, go on, get it up in the air. Show everybody.

Who's going to start me off with a bid of £5?

Yes, thank you. 5, straight in. Is there 6?

I'm looking for £6 now. 6, thank you. It's against you, sir. 7.

7, 8. 8, 9,

-10, 11, 12.

-I'm out.

£15. £15 is with me.

And I'm selling at 15.

Sold, £15, thank you.

That's a good start.

Next up, Danny's star find.

It's not an antique,

but I still think we're odds-on to get £20 for it.

Who's going to start me off with a bid of £10?

10. Can I take 15 now?

15, it's against you, madam.

£20 I have now.

22, 24,

26, 28, 30.

£30! We have £30 with you, madam.

It's going down, the hammer's going down... Whoa, thank you!

32. 32 now, and I'm selling at £32.

34.

Make no mistake, I'm selling, £34. 35?

35. It's against you, madam.

35, and I'm selling at 35.

Fair warning, £35.

Sold, thank you.

A brilliant dash to the finish there.

-They look heavy.

-They are.

Followed by a blooming £20 profit

for a couple of plant pots donated on the day.

Going, going, gone! Sold.

And a tidy return for the set of pristine patio chairs.

I have a bid of 25, and I'm selling at 25!

Sold, £25.

But now we come to my favourite lot.

We have a pair of upcycled stools and they are funky.

They're something for the kitchen.

Danny thinks around £15.

-And a bit more!

-And a bit more.

Let's have an opening bid of £10 - they're worth that, come on!

Thank you. An opening bid of 10.

Do I see 15 anywhere?

-Worth a bit more than that!

-They are worth a bit more.

Can I take £15?

And I'm selling at £15.

It's going once, twice, sold! Thank you very much.

Jo's daughter Emma is the proud new owner.

And with the two boxes making £35 between them...

Sold, it's gone, £20, that's the first!

Any further advances? Fair warning, sold, £15.

..we've pulled in £50 on the upcycled furniture.

We'd be lucky to get half that if we'd left them as they were.

And what better way to round off the day

than with our quirkiest donation?

It's a ceramic loo with a soft-closing lid.

It's got to pull in £30.

Apparently in the shops they're about £150 to buy brand-new.

Believe me, that's not been used.

He wouldn't be holding it in the air!

I'll take that. £20, the stick goes up in the air.

Thank you. Fair warning, I will sell to the maiden bid of £20.

It's going once, twice...

Sold, £20, thank you.

I'm not exactly bowled over by that result.

Let's hope our £1,000 target hasn't gone down the drain.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for turning up today.

We had a target of £1,000.

It was a tall order, but because the community of Frome pull together,

do you know what?

We didn't raise £1,000.

We smashed it!

We made £1,253,

so thank you, Frome!

What a day.

Many of you know what this is about, and who this is for.

I think it's about time I came clean.

Many of you do know this person.

This guy is an unsung hero.

He works tirelessly.

He doesn't need rewarding.

The reward he gets is because he helps all of you.

This guy is a true champion,

and here he is, Jo Dismore.

All of this, all of this,

all of these people, all of your family, friends and neighbours,

are here because you are such a special guy.

You really are.

That's very kind of you to say.

Everybody's got together to say one big thank you

for all the work you've done, helping everybody in the area.

Look, Hannah, will you read this out?

This is what we're going to do for you.

"Dear Jo, we know how much the theatre meant to you and Rosemary,

"and how much you still enjoy it.

"So we want to thank you by treating you and a guest

"to all-inclusive VIP theatre package in Bath."

Oh!

Really incredible!

We're also placing a plaque in the theatre

in honour of Jo and his late wife, Rosemary.

It's incredible.

That really has touched...

..a bit of a raw nerve.

That's absolutely wonderful.

-Thank you all so very, very much.

-Aw, there you go.

Dad's a bit overawed, but I think, you know, when he reflects on it,

he'll feel really humbled by it.

I think he was quite shocked, watching his face.

That was wonderful. I enjoyed that.

It was really special for him.

And everybody had just turned up for him, and it's really, really nice.

And to make more than the £1,000, I mean, that's so Frome.

It's been a wonderful, wonderful day for him,

and he really appreciates it. Sorry, I'm just...

I just love him so much.

Isn't it lovely to see Jo is surrounded by all his friends,

family and neighbours?

The whole community turned out to make this work.

We had a target, which we smashed.

I've thoroughly enjoyed it today.

It just goes to show what you can do with people power.

I hope you enjoyed the show.

Keep watching, because we could be in your neighbourhood,

and this street auction could be for you. Goodbye.

Jo and his daughter Emma are planning their VIP trip to Bath,

where Jo and Rosemary's plaque now takes pride of place.