Marathon is thanks for saving my Roman

May 2 2008 by Richard Fletcher, Chester Chronicle

Marathon is thanks for saving my Roman

WHEN 18-month-old Roman went limp in his arms, James Beech thought his only son was dead.

But thanks to dedicated neonatal nurses, Roman is back to full health. Now his parents have gone further than most to say thank you.

Mum Victoria gave up her retail management job at Next on Broughton Park and is now training as a nurse – while James holds down three separate jobs to keep the family afloat.

And grateful James is now taking on a marathon bike ride to raise money for the vital work of the Countess of Chester baby unit.

James said: “The unit is so important for parents. Everyone’s ideal is giving birth and having a beautiful baby but the reality is things do not always go to plan.

“We were touched by the hard work and dedication in the neonatal unit. It was just amazing – they made us feel as if our baby was in the best possible care. They looked after us, and with the conditions they were working in with the lack of funding, they were doing a really good job.”

Victoria, 35, wanted to give something back and is now at Salford University in her first year, after doing a nursing course at West Cheshire College.

To make up for the loss of earnings, James is pulling a 70-hour week, working his 8-5pm job as a joiner for Bell Meadow developers before heading off to Bank of America as a cleaning supervisor, working 7-11pm. He also works in the cycle department at Halford’s on Saturdays.

James, 28, from Oldfield Crescent, Saltney, said: “That’s a big sacrifice and I get to see my son for a couple of hours in the morning then in the afternoon before I head off to my second job.

“But it will be worth it in the end.

“I felt as if I wasn’t doing enough so me and my friend decided to do this sponsored bike ride too.”

He and friend Peter Rathbone, from Warrington, who he met on a mountain biking forum, will take on the Sea to Sea transpennine trail over three days on May 26.

He added: “I don’t think I will ever be able to repay what they did for us but deep down it’s a way to say thank you.”

Anyone wishing to sponsor James can contact him on 07843 683758 or james.beech@hotmail.com. James is paying all expenses himself.