Wheelchair Vicar Les Dancey April 2024
As a teenager, I used to serve communion once a month with vicar Tom Selwyn-Smith. At one time, we changed the start time from 8.30am to 7.30am so that I could jump on my motor bike and tear over to Ditteridge. There I could serve for his father, vicar Bertie Selwyn-Smith, at 8.30am. Vicar Bertie was the Rector of Ditteridge Church but was elderly. I would pick him up in his wheelchair from the vicarage and wheel him up towards the church. Despite his disabilities, I would help him with his vestments and escort him, across the road to the church where he uses to carry out the whole service on his crutches. What a wonderful man.
Mr Benjamin (Benji, the cricket umpire) was the verger and used to clear everything away after the service, whilst I wheeled vicar Selwyn-Smith senior back to the vicarage. One Sunday, Benji was in hospital, so I had to do the clearing up. I told vicar Selwyn-Smith senior that I wouldn't be long but when I got back to the vestry he was missing. I ran off down the road and found him
up-ended, still in his wheelchair on a sharp bend. I scolded him severely, picked him up, wheelchair and all, and wheeled him on down to the vicarage. It was just so lucky that in those days there were very few cars on the road.
Directly from this service, I would go round to vicar Tom and we would have breakfast together before I then served communion with him at Box. He was such a lovely chap. I've been around all over the world but Box is still my Home.
Mr Benjamin (Benji, the cricket umpire) was the verger and used to clear everything away after the service, whilst I wheeled vicar Selwyn-Smith senior back to the vicarage. One Sunday, Benji was in hospital, so I had to do the clearing up. I told vicar Selwyn-Smith senior that I wouldn't be long but when I got back to the vestry he was missing. I ran off down the road and found him
up-ended, still in his wheelchair on a sharp bend. I scolded him severely, picked him up, wheelchair and all, and wheeled him on down to the vicarage. It was just so lucky that in those days there were very few cars on the road.
Directly from this service, I would go round to vicar Tom and we would have breakfast together before I then served communion with him at Box. He was such a lovely chap. I've been around all over the world but Box is still my Home.