Doncaster care home to star in Jay Blades' new TV show Jay's Yorkshire Workshop

Jay’s Yorkshire Workshop is set to begin airing this week – and the first episode will feature residents and staff at Doncaster’s Anchor House Care Home.

The new show, which seems a team of volunteers make masterpieces for local heroes and deserving members of the community, will see Jay and his crew creating an arbour for the Avenue Road care home.

First up on the new BBC show to nominate a deserving recipient is Sue Riley of Doncaster, who wants to celebrate Anchor House Care Home, where her mother-in-law lives and where during the pandemic some staff moved in for two months, sleeping on camp beds away from their families, to keep the residents safe from infection.

Expert woodworker Kieran leads his volunteer apprentices Les and Ant in making an arbour for the home.

Nine staff members moved in to Anchor House in Doncaster full-time last March to reduce the risk of infecting the 21 vulnerable residents.

Manager Karen Greaves said the efforts meant the home was "Covid-free".

Sue, whose mother-in-law is cared for at the home, said staff had "undoubtedly saved lives" and praised staff for their "amazing dedication and commitment".

She said: "One young carer in particular said to us a while back she hadn't seen her son for 39 days, which just hit home really with us."

Jay, the host of The Repair Shop, which became a quiet success with seven million viewers, is switching from restoring treasured possessions to creating new ones in Jay’s Yorkshire Workshop.

He said: ‘Jay’s Yorkshire Workshop is a place which changes lives. I’ve set it up because I believe everybody can achieve something they don’t believe they can achieve.

‘Imagine having confidence to achieve anything with regards to making. That’s what the show’s about, as well as celebrating the uncelebrated. We want to give back and say thank you.’

Based in a community workshop in Bradford, the six-part series sees six volunteer apprentices take on intricate challenges as they are mentored by three expert furniture makers.

Jay’s Yorkshire Workshop will be aired on Wednesday at 9pm on BBC2.