​West Sussex RAF veterans make huge profit on BBC’s Bargain Hunt, raising hundreds of pounds for RAF Benevolent Fund

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
​​Two West Sussex RAF veterans have made a huge profit on BBC’s Bargain Hunt, raising hundreds of pounds for the RAF Benevolent Fund.

RAF veterans Dan Pelling, 44, from Horsham and Mike Goody, 39, from Littlehampton looked on in shock as they watched the bidding, with one of their three chosen items gaining particular interest.

They appeared on the special All About D-Day episode of the antique-themed competition, aired at lunchtime today, to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dan and Mike were the blue team, working with expert Stephanie Connell, and they went head-to-head with Women's Royal Naval Service veteran Carolyn and Women's Royal Air Force veteran Irene in the red team, working with expert John Cameron.

Bargain Hunt's All About D-Day episode with Carolyn, Irene, Danny Sebastian, Dan and Mike. Picture: BBC Studios, ProductionBargain Hunt's All About D-Day episode with Carolyn, Irene, Danny Sebastian, Dan and Mike. Picture: BBC Studios, Production
Bargain Hunt's All About D-Day episode with Carolyn, Irene, Danny Sebastian, Dan and Mike. Picture: BBC Studios, Production

Former Senior Aircraftsmen Dan and Mike became ambassadors of the RAF Benevolent Fund following the support they received due to life-changing injuries sustained in service. The show put them in the spotlight and challenged them to buy from an antiques fair at the National Botanic Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire and sell at auction for a profit.

Dan said: "Bargain Hunt was amazing fun to be involved in. Everyone we met was so kind and enthusiastic. To be able to be part of the Bargain Hunt D-Day special as an ambassador of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund made it particularly memorable and meaningful."

Dan was involved in a serious hit-and-run accident while deployed to Italy, which left him paralysed from the chest down at the age of 20. In 2003, Dan became the fund's youngest Housing Trust occupant when he moved into a specially-adapted bungalow to remain independent.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mike said: “It was a really great couple of days filming for Bargain Hunt for the D-Day 80th special. Dan and I had a great time competing against the opposing Army veteran team. It’s super important that we take time to remember all those brave people involved and those who lost their lives in the process, on D-Day and subsequent days, months and years.

RAF veterans Dan Pelling, 44, from Horsham and Mike Goody, 39, from Littlehampton with expert Stephanie Connell on Bargain Hunt's All About D-Day episode. Picture: BBC Studios, ProductionRAF veterans Dan Pelling, 44, from Horsham and Mike Goody, 39, from Littlehampton with expert Stephanie Connell on Bargain Hunt's All About D-Day episode. Picture: BBC Studios, Production
RAF veterans Dan Pelling, 44, from Horsham and Mike Goody, 39, from Littlehampton with expert Stephanie Connell on Bargain Hunt's All About D-Day episode. Picture: BBC Studios, Production

"We were also proud to promote the amazing work by the RAF Benevolent Fund all the way back then, to present day – I personally would have really struggled without the fund’s assistance on multiple occasions since my injury in service.”

Mike was on patrol with the RAF Regiment in Afghanistan in 2008 when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device (IED). After two and a half years of painful rehabilitation, Mike took the difficult decision to have his leg amputated below the knee. The fund supported him through his rehabilitation and gave mental health support over the years.

Dan and Mike were given £300 to spend on three items. One had to be a 'big spend' costing at least £75 and there was a military-themed challenge to buy an item from the Second World War.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dan joked that they would be 'winging it' as they set off in search of their items. Having rejected a shipwright's chest because of its Naval connection, they homed in on a silver RAF sweetheart brooch. Mike said: "How could we not be happy? It has got RAF on it."

They managed to buy it for £29 and were thrilled to see it sell for £45 at auction.

As a fan of colourful things, Dan pushed for a bright yellow AA sign and picked it up for £60. Although it was a reproduction, it was admired by the auctioneer and sold for an incredible £160.

They took a gamble on an oak folk art carving of a contorted man, a 17th century wooden panel that Dan loved. Even the auctioneer seemed doubtful when he heard they had paid £115 but bidding was keen and Mike looked shocked as the total shot to £400.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With £401 profit in the bag, they had to decide whether to take the silver cocktail shaker purchased by Stephanie for £90. It had photographs and Royal Naval Air Service history associated with it, so they went for it but sadly it sold for only £85.

Overall, Mike and Dan finished with £396, winning them the competition and a Bargain Hunt golden gavel, for making a profit on all three items.

They said they would be donating the money to the RAF Benevolent Fund, which provides financial, emotional, and practical assistance to serving and retired RAF personnel and their families. This includes grants to help with financial difficulty, mental health support, Airplay youth clubs, and more.

The All About D-Day episode also saw presenter Danny Sebastian talking to photographer Seimon Pugh-Jones about his work providing artefacts for the sets of blockbuster films and TV series such as Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers. Seimon showed Danny a mobile museum he has created, dedicated to telling the story of the Normandy landings of 1944.

Related topics:
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice