Purches announced on his Twitter page on Tuesday night that he has been given the all clear to walk without crutches after speaking to a specialist and physio Steve Hard.
And Fletcher, who has been previously sidelined for 18 months with a cruciate ligament injury, knows exactly what Purches has been through.
"I speak to Purchy all the time - he's one of my best mates and I know what it's like with injuries so I was devastated for him when he got injured.
"But it's a big boost for him now he's off the crutches and he was absolutely buzzing when I spoke to him.
"He's got a few months to go but I'm sure he will come back better than ever because he has such a great attitude to the game."
Fletcher can't wait for the start of yet another season, and is excited by the quality of the squad that Paul Groves and his backroom staff have at their disposal.
"I'm always confident but this year tops it for me,” he explained. “Walking in that changing room, it's a little bit daunting with the quality of the boys!
"It's great to see all the faces again after not seeing them for six or seven weeks. A lot of new faces too, especially on the staff.
"Pre-season doesn't get any easier but we know we're going to be fit, strong and ready to go by the end of it and everyone wants to be in that team for the first game of the season."
To watch an extended version of this interview, head over to Cherries Player.