Ringwood Repair Cafe restores beloved childhood toy ‘Jacko’ the monkey

A beloved toy monkey has been given a new lease of life thanks to a town’s repair cafe.

Andy Booth had contacted the Ringwood group in the hope it may be able to restore his childhood toy ‘Jacko’, which had suffered significant water damage having been stored in a garden shed.

After examining Jacko, volunteer Anne Tobin soon realised he would need more “intensive care” and agreed to take what was left of him home.

Having cleaned the components which could be saved, Anne washed and repaired the original cardigan and made a new body with fillings and textiles from Ringwood Fabrics. She then reattached the face, hands and feet, painstakingly putting Jacko back together.

Good as new, he was reunited with a delighted Andy at the repair cafe.

Having enjoyed the restoration project, Anne said she was going to miss Jacko: "I wouldn’t have embarked on such a big project but I could see how much Jacko meant to Andy. Also, I had a cousin who was an only child and took her Jacko everywhere with her; it brought back happy memories of 60 years ago for me too.”

She added: “As poor Jacko disintegrated as soon as he was touched, I had no pattern to go on, so it really was pretty much guesswork for the proportions.”

The next Ringwood Repair Café will be on Saturday 11th January at Greyfriars Community Centre. Sessions take place on the second Saturday of every month at the centre.

Visits do not need to be booked, although advance warning is appreciated.