How two missing Children in Need Daleks were found

The picture in this blog was taken by Dave Latham.

Two Daleks that were present at a Swindon gathering in 2003 - one of a gray hue and the other of a gold shade - were reported missing.

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Swindon is once again hosting the Daleks, known as the Doctor's formidable foe, after 20 years since their last fundraising venture.

However, after their previous appearance for Children in Need, they embarked on a journey - and it didn't involve returning to their native planet Skaro.

Dave Latham expressed that he imagined Daleks moving around, surveying their surroundings as they arrived.

Thirty years ago, he worked as a communications manager for BT in Swindon. He was constantly searching for new and innovative methods to raise money for Children in Need.

The town was home to BT's headquarters, situated at a well-suited location called North Star house. It had a large transparent entryway and a raised platform surrounding it that overlooked the area.

During an interview with BBC Radio Wiltshire, he expressed his desire to transform the atrium into a space station, which he believed to be an excellent idea.

He wondered about the possible inhabitants of the orbiting facility.

Dave Latham was responsible for putting together activities featuring the Daleks to raise money for Children in Need in both 1996 and 2003.

Back in the day, the Daleks were quite scary and definitely not friendly. They wouldn't be caught dead running a coffee shop or living next door to you. Their behavior was far from pleasant.

However, their action is to captivate the interest of individuals.

On November 22, 1996, there was a major event that included famous people such as former Doctor Tom Baker and was broadcasted on a charitable TV show. It was a noteworthy occasion.

However, in terms of actually obtaining two Daleks, where would you be able to acquire them?

This is the point at which John Chapman entered the picture, a person who has been passionate about the subject for a long time and who has worked for BT in the past.

John Chapman replicated the daleks by starting with a miniature kit, then enlarging the model to a larger scale.

In all honesty, I found it absurd at first, but to my surprise, I was rather content with the outcome.

Since I was very young, I have been a big fan of Dr Who. One time, I tried to construct a Dalek in my mother's living area without realizing that they are quite large.

Actually, it was of such massive proportions that it "needed to be thrown out the window".

It took him half a year to construct a couple.

In earlier times, there were no available blueprints for purchase. Therefore, I obtained a kit to construct a model that was one-fifth in size. Using that as reference, I amplified it by five times and developed my own set of blueprints.

Nevertheless, crafting a pair proved challenging. As a solution, he fashioned a wooden model and utilized it to shape two fibreglass duplicates.

"Everyone would want to create a pair of Daleks for Children in Need. Although it may be taxing, it is also enjoyable."

He mentioned that it's possible to enter them, but the method is comparable to that of the cartoon character, Fred Flintstone, with your feet on the ground and pushing them forward.

When Daleks are in motion and are communicating, it creates a magical experience. Even though they look nice when they are still and are not moving.

He mentioned having some "fantastic recollections" of the 1996 occasion - particularly when Tom Baker autographed one of the copies.

Tom Baker, who used to be a doctor, put his signature on one of the Daleks during an event that occurred in 1996.

Later on, the wicked duo was kept in storage. However, they made a comeback in 2003 for another occasion, but this time it was held at Swindon's Designer Outlet Village.

However, calamity occurred and in just a few weeks after the incident, they were nowhere to be found.

"I felt extremely upset. It was hard for me to accept that someone would steal something like that," expressed Mr. Chapman.

The most distressing aspect for me was the irretrievable time and energy that had been wasted.

Mr Chapman believed that he would never be reunited with his artistic works: "The idea of a bin with two protuberances resembling eyes was the image that I had in mind, implying that they were gone and destroyed forever."

The authorities were informed, but no definitive evidence was discovered.

Dave Latham is the source of the image.

At the events, Mr. Chapman's Daleks gained popularity and can be seen at the forefront of this picture.

Almost two decades later, Mr. Chapman received a call out of the blue informing him that they had been located.

Last year was a tough one for me - I had to undergo medical care and I was still in the process of recuperation."

I was lounging on my couch at home when the phone rang. The person on the other end exclaimed, "You won't believe what I just discovered - I believe we've recovered the Daleks." Shocked, I tumbled off the sofa.

John Darley, the individual responsible for a website and discussion platform named Project Dalek, was the one who placed the telephone call.

'Illumination Strikes!'

This platform offers a chance for folks to acquire blueprints for constructing life-size replicas and support one another. Its community is abundant, boasting of numerous participants.

An individual had reached out to Mr. Darley to obtain further information about the history of a grey Dalek.

He stated that their goal was to verify the origin of the item, and if it was truly a BBC prop, it would hold great significance.

A bunch of pictures were handed over to me which I distributed among a handful of other participants... and at that moment, a realization dawned on me.

They came to the realization that it was one of the items that was previously lost.

The picture is taken by Dave Latham. Original: Blog section Rewritten: Blog post area

The Swindon event hosted by ex-physician Tom Baker was a remarkable gathering.

Daleks were snatched in the past too - actual items sanctioned by the BBC back in 1973. The television program Blue Peter even made an appeal to locate them and eventually, they were found. However, it didn't take as long as it did for these fake versions to resurface.

As it transpired, an individual from Scotland had purchased it from a companion residing in Wiltshire. The origin of how the acquaintance acquired it remains a mystery.

Mr. Chapman travelled to a police station in Scotland to retrieve it.

The second one was discovered in Wiltshire.

He mentioned that the items required just a minor amount of attention: "I was genuinely startled since the things were not in ruin or harmed or flawed significantly."

"It was fantastic to catch a glimpse of Tom Baker's autograph once more."

The Daleks have made a comeback and will be available for the public to view once again at the McArthur Glen Designer outlet in Swindon as part of a Children in Need event.

If you want to listen to the BBC Radio Wiltshire program that features the restored Daleks, just click on this link.

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