Antiques TV star to host community valuation day for air ambulance charity

Antiques TV star Paul Martin is hosting a valuation community event at the Bath and Wiltshire Air Ambulance base in Semington this Saturday to raise vital funds for the charity.

Paul, who is famed for presenting BBC’s FlogIt!, is a charity ambassador for the Bath and Wiltshire Air Ambulance. He will be running the event with his team of specialists from local auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son Ltd, this Saturday 27th September, from 10am to 4pm.

“It’s a massive great big free valuation day, in front of the helicopters; all the general public are invited to bring in their antiques and collectables,” said Paul. “If people want to sell something we are donating all the money and the commission to the air base.”

Paul, who lives in Beanacre, began his career as an antiques dealer 25 years ago with a shop on London’s Portobello Road. Alongside his TV work, he is also Head of Valuations at Henry Aldridge Auctioneers.

He said, “It’s going to be a big event; it lasts all day, there will be teas, coffees and cakes everyone’s making things and all the proceeds get donated to saving lives and keeping the helicopter in the air.

“A lot of people don’t know what they possess and getting things valued safeguards things for the next generation, it helps people come up with a value, so they don’t get ripped off. It helps to keep things insured and in a good condition, how to hang onto them because they might go up in value. It brings history alive, and you do it in front of other people and you all swap stories.”

Running another free valuation day in Melksham, Paul will return to ‘that meeting space’ on Wednesday 5th November.

“People can bring in anything they can carry – watches, medals, coins, jewellery,” he said. “If you have things in the car and can’t carry them in, I will come outside to the car and take a look.”