The Manchester weather is no respecter of seasons. It was though most obliging when in late July 2016 a funeral cortege departed from an otherwise unremarkable housing estate in Wythenshawe, South Manchester, and embarked on the short journey to the church.
The only tell tale of who was taking their final journey was in the small peloton of cyclists pedalling behind, a dozen or so lycra clad men and women who decided this was their way of paying their respects. On arrival at the church it soon became apparent from the sheer volume of mourners that this was a popular and much respected figure. Yet this was no local dignitary, politician or celebrity, to the 500 mourners and many more around the world who couldn’t attend this was the funeral of someone of so much more.
