A family heirloom belonging to an Ipswich woman's late grandfather has been carefully restored thanks to the team at The Repair Shop.
Karen Walker appeared on the popular BBC show on Monday which saw the team tasked with restoring an old clock that belonged to her late grandfather, David Alfonso Butler.
Miss Walker’s grandad passed away in July 2013 at the age of 87.
The Ipswich businesswoman was in “happy tears” when she saw the clock renovated by horologist Steve Fletcher from The Repair Shop.
“It’s shining, it’s ticking, and it’s linked with the past," she said.
Miss Walker said that her heirloom reminds her of time, which connects generations and tells stories from the past.
She added: “We should remember the courage that our ancestors had.
“It's about having stories and experiences that will help us drive through current challenges.
“Time is the commodity of life, a healer and a supporter.
“My clock is really the symbolism of how we treat each other and how we use our time.”
The journey to the Repair Shop began after the Suffolk Windrush Committee held an exhibition in August 2021 where she showcased the clock.
The 57-year-old was invited to audition in December 2021 and was told in April last year she had been accepted.
It came several months after the passing of her granny Violet May Butler.
Miss Walker said: “My grandparents raised me from the age of six months old.
“This was my ticking companion when I was growing up.
“My grandad used to work nights, so when he came home after his night shift, I used to sit on the bottom of the bed and wait for him to wake up.
“All I heard was this clock going tick, tick, tick and when it went off at half-past two, I used to be so happy to hear that ring.
“This is so much of my childhood. There are so many happy memories.”
The 57-year-old added: “I’ve got his clock and his hat. That’s all I’ve got.
“This clock is everything. It’s time spent, and time is the currency of life.”
David and Violet Butler came to the UK from Jamaica in 1957 and then sent for all of their five children, settling down here.
Miss Walker said that her grandfather’s clock constantly reminds her how precious time is.
“We should make time and give time.
“Now I’ve got my timepiece back from when I was a little girl.”
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