Farmer pens book as a memorial to his life following cancer diagnosis
A seriously ill 93-year-old Stourport farmer who wrote a book as a memorial to his life has overcome the odds to witness the early success since its launch last month.
Syd Handy, who has lived in the town for most of his life, vowed to pen Being Handy following his bowel cancer diagnosis 12 months ago, resolving to leave behind something his friends and family could remember him by.
Throughout his busy life, Syd became a successful entrepreneur, including being a seller of farm produce, an egg distributor, a factory sagger maker, farmer, landowner and an insurance broker in Stourport.
He said: “My dear late wife Frances said to me many years ago – ‘Syd, you should keep a note of everything you do, then one day you can write a book about it'.
“Well, I always did what she told me (mostly anyway!) but I never gave the book a thought until three years ago, when I gave a talk to Bewdley Rotary about my early life.
"They liked it so much, a few months later I was asked to do another about my later life.
"This too was much appreciated and prompted many questions from the members.
“It was then that Frances’s words came back to me. I hadn’t been very well, so I thought I’d better get something done while I still can, even if it has to be published after I’ve gone.”
A percentage of the book’s profits are being donated to the Rotary Polio Fund, a Rotary International-adopted campaign for the past 35 years.
Syd was supported in his project by friend, and published author Tony Smith after the pair met through Bewdley Rotary Club.
Tony, who is also vice president of the club, said: “Syd has enjoyed a long, busy, and eventful life during which, from lowly beginnings by hard work and shrewd decisions, became a successful and well-respected man.
“In the book he describes in riveting detail, how bit by bit, with sensible planning, and by recognising and seizing opportunities as they occurred, he rose to be a successful entrepreneur, businessman and farmer.
“For my part, we worked hard together on this. We are aware that there are many grammatical errors and mispronunciations throughout, but Syd was most insistent that this should be written in the same local vernacular dialect that he speaks.
"On reflection I think it works very well.”
Tony added: “Syd believed that he would not survive for long following his operation, and therefore he had put everything in place for the book to be published posthumously.
"However, like the old adage goes, ‘you can’t keep a good man down'.
"He appears to have made a remarkable recovery from the invasive surgery to remove tumours from his bowel.
"Despite the inconvenience of having a permanent catheter and colostomy bag, he continues to bustle about.
“Visiting him some weeks later following his 93rd birthday, I found him driving a tractor and supervising the harvesting of hay from on one of his fields. ‘Ah!,’ he said, 'It looks as if I’ll be alright now, so we might as well get this book done'.
“Being Handy is a delightful read, and beautifully describes what is but the tip of the iceberg of a remarkable life.”
Syd has been a member of Rotary for 24 years, joining Bewdley from Stourport Rotary Club when it ceased three years ago.
In that time he has played an active role in many charity events but his greatest achievement is the 15 years he has spent working alongside local charity Burnaid, organising an annual day trip for children recovering from serious burn injuries.
Following his illness, he made sure that everything was in place so the event would continue in his absence.
Syd recalled: “It has always been a great pleasure to organise and host the children and families from the burns unit at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
"The day out helps these traumatised children with their social reintegration, self-esteem and confidence but most of all they, their siblings and parents have a lot of fun.”
Being Handy is available for £6.99 in bookstores, or from publishers FeedAread or Amazon.
Tony said: “Over the last few years I have come to realise what an honour and a pleasure it has been to be in Syd’s company and to have learned so much about his ancient family history, the details and pursuits of his ancestors, and his own long list of achievements.
“Everyone will discover in the pages of this book a story of the life and times of a true English country gentleman who will be long loved and remembered.”
