A METALSMITH from Bodmin is taking part in a new restoration show ‘Mend it for Money’ on Channel 4, which is currently airing at 5pm on weeknights.

Owner of Creative Metalwork in Bodmin, Chrissy Robinson, was approached to take part in the show, first appearing in the pilot shown last year and now in the fully commissioned 20-episode series.

Originally from Essex, Chrissy’s metalwork career began after some sound advice from her art teacher.

She joined her local tech college and began working on small jewellery designs, but soon found it was the larger projects that fascinated her.

She explained: “For me I got into metalwork through college, I’m from Essex originally, always been into art, so my art teacher said go study at Thurrock Tech, and I did.

“I got a BTEC in 3D design which involved jewellery, but I found myself spending more time in the engineering workshop as I love the big tools.

“This led to me going to Plymouth College of Art to gain a Higher National Diploma (HND) in design metals and then a few years later converting that into a BA with Honours in applied arts, specialising in large-scale metalwork.”

Chrissy has more than 20 years of experience in the field. She owns her own shop where she undertakes all kinds of metalwork from restorations, to new builds, and art works.

It was through this work that she caught the eye of Channel 4 producers who offered her a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Chrissy said: “I was approached out of the blue with a phone call in 2018 asking if I would be interested in taking part in a potential new show. They had seen my website and were impressed with my work.

“I’m always a believer in taking an opportunity if it comes up so I said yes.

“Very quickly they came and visited me in my workshop and did an afternoon’s filming of me talking about some projects I had in.

“Then, a couple of months later, I got a call to say Channel 4 were interested in commissioning a pilot and I found myself at Newquay airport on a flight to Glasgow.”

As part of the show, Chrissy must pitch her talents against other restorers to ‘win’ the chance to restore items brought in by members of the public – she is also afforded a share of the profits.

The pilot was filmed at the end of 2019 and shown in April during the first lockdown.

Chrissy was delighted to have won her pitch to restore a post box for two sisters, but she admitted she had been very nervous.

She said: “In the pilot I won the pitch to restore a post box for two sisters who have a degenerative eye condition, meaning they are slowly losing their sight.

“I really enjoyed filming for the pilot, but I was insanely nervous!”

Chrissy had a long, tentative wait ahead of her. But finally, the call came and she had been commissioned to take part in 11 of the 20 episodes.

This meant many trips back and forth from her home in Cornwall to Glasgow in Scotland, but she said she “loved it”.

“It was a long wait to hear that it had been commissioned to a full 20-episode series. I am in 11 of them, pitching, winning and losing some bids – my favourite project was the 1930’s Valor cooker,” she continued.

“I loved taking part in the show, I’ve met some amazing restorers, and got to work with an amazing crew.

“It was hard work commuting between Glasgow and Cornwall every week for three months but I would do it all again in a heart beat.”By Zoe Uglow