A DENSHAW based GP has dug out his running shoes for an annual month of activity he’s dubbed ‘Feb-run-ary.’
And Dr Andrew Vance is supported in this yearly tribute to his father, Billy Vance, by fellow villagers.
Billy, a legendary horseman in his native Ireland and known as the ‘people’s champion’ in his home town of Clones, died in January 2016.
Years earlier, however, he survived a horrific fall from his horse but suffered several large bleeds on the brain.
Initially wheelchair bound and rehabilitating in a nursing home, Billy arrived in Saddleworth in 2015 to continue his recovery under his son’s watchful eye.
“The injuries were consistent with those normally associated with car crashes,” said Andrew who practices in Royton.
“So, it was important to try and get him walking again rather than retain the shuffling kind of gait you see in nursing homes.
“By the February of 2015, he started to feel stronger and with my aunt Anne I used to get them running the length of the house outside. I called them the octogenarian races!
“I would also write a letter every day just so I could get him to go down to the post box to send it.
“People in the village were lovely and unbelievably kind in helping him get back on his feet.
“If it started to rain they would take him in and give him something to eat for half an hour or so.”
The Saddleworth therapy worked wonders and Billy returned to Clones – also home town of boxing great Barry McGuigan – to start riding and jumping again.
“Dad had another year and a month before he died but it was an amazing year,” explained Andrew.
“He did what he wanted to do and had an happy end rather than what would have been a sad end.”
Since then Andrew has dedicated himself to running every day of February and has seen village participation grow.
“There is a great group of people here and they all get involved. It doesn’t matter if it is 10 metres or 10 miles day.
“You just do what you can. It is a tribute to my dad, it’s a good way to get going after Christmas but it’s good to bring the community together and to be part of a positive thing.”
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