An expert from Antiques Roadshow once declined to appraise certain memorabilia because of its historical significance.
Marc Allum, a prominent valuator on the show, examined a collection brought by a group, but decided against valuing them.
Allum interacted with a team responsible for organizing a charity concert for Live Aid, where Leon, one of the organizers, presented memorabilia from the 1980s.
The BRAFA (British Reggae Artists Famine Appeal) charity concert was aimed at raising funds for Ethiopia, and it was associated with the campaign’s song.
The campaign featured a track titled ‘Let’s Make Africa Green Again’.
Allum remarked to Leon: “Yourself, obviously, being an instrumental kingpin on the whole of BRAFA, but I can’t help but mention the fact that everybody behind me here was also involved.”
He continued: “So, let’s go back in time and talk about why BRAFA originated and we’re talking about basically the famine in Ethiopia in 1984, there was something missing from Live Aid, wasn’t there?”
Leon responded: “Band Aid raised millions, and Bob Geldof had the contacts to these major artists, but at the time we had major artists in the charts like Trevor Walters and many others, and we weren’t called upon.”
“So we didn’t object against what he was doing, but we wanted to be seen doing something as African descendants helping the people.”
Leon mentioned that around 200 individuals contributed to the song.
Allum noted: “So we’ve got a copy of ‘Let’s Make Africa Green Again’ here, we’ve got various bits and photographs and I can see there’s a photograph behind you there with Princess Anne – and are you in that photograph, Leon?”
Leon confirmed his presence in the image and was asked: “This is something that has been brought to life in a much bigger way now as well, hasn’t it?”
“It was something extremely important to you and we talk about values and things on this show and you know, I can talk about the value of these items in front of us here and maybe there’s a few hundred pounds worth but that’s not what’s important here, is it?”
Allum explained that he opted not to assign a monetary value as the items held a value beyond money.
He stated: “It’s about social history and it’s about what you did out there, the money you raised and it’s massively important to see that reinvented in a way that brings it back to people and younger generations too.”
In a heartwarming moment, the expert asked Leon to sing the song, leading to an impromptu sing-along for the audience.