A POLICE officer who found a vulnerable Irishman who went missing in Manchester has since helped him publish a book of his poems.
PC Paul Davies was one of the officers who brought Oliver Moran back to his care home when the 47-year-old went missing in the city last year.
Mr Moran, whose father hailed from Ireland, suffers from mental health problems and was found at his mother’s house in Fallowfield when he left the Brierley Court care home in Moston.
While being taken back to the home by PC Davies and another officer, he broke the silence in the police van by reciting dozens of poems that he had written himself.
“Telling him we liked his poems was like lighting the blue touch paper as he then exploded into a dozen more from his repertoire,” PC Davies explained.
“When we got Oliver home, he was still going strong and was clearly proud of his verses,” he added.
PC Davies, a budding author himself, who has published four novels of his own, was so impressed by what he heard that he encouraged Mr Moran to collate his poems into a book to help other people suffering with mental health issues.
Mr Davies went on to edit and publish Oliver’s book through his own firm MJD Publishing.
“When I told him we wanted to publish his poems to help raise awareness of mental health, it was like he’d won the lottery,’ said Mr Davies.
“When you encounter people like Oliver, you realise that policing isn’t just about fighting crime but actively helping people in the community too. The excitement and pride it has given Oliver makes it worth it.”
Staff at Mr Moran’s care home were also fully behind the idea, believing it would give Mr Moran something to focus on, and helped him bring his poems together.
So taken aback was Oliver with the encouragement he received, in his book, which was published this month, he wrote: "I never thought that I would be putting my personal thanks in a book that I have actually written, as things like this don’t normally happen to people like me.’
He added: “I would like to thank all my family and friends, the members of staff at Brierley Court for all their support, Greater Manchester Police for their close involvement and empathy, PC Paul Davies for his belief in my work and his effort with my dream.”
Out of my mind -The muses of an unlikely poet by Oliver Moran is now available from www.amazon.co.uk and www.padavies.co.uk priced at £5.99.
At least £1 from every sale will go to MIND, a charity dedicated to supporting those suffering with mental health issues, with any extra profit going to Mr Moran.
