Greenham man will stand outside Tesco fundraising for Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in memory of late mother

A man from Greenham will be standing outside Tesco on Pinchington Lane raising money in memory of his late mother, whom he lost to motor neurone disease.

Andrew Johnston will be outside the store, where his mother once worked, on Tuesday, December 20, and Wednesday, December 21, with a bucket.

This isn’t Mr Johnston's first time collecting for his mother Joan, who died in April 2021 at the age of 77.

He walked from Newbury to Hungerford last year, raising more than £1,000.

Mr Johnson and his family were supported by Sue Ryder after his mother’s diagnosis and said the charity went “over and beyond” to make his life easier – whilst in the midst of the pandemic.

He said they were “lovely” in their care and made the situation as good as it could be for him, his, mother, father and whole family during what was a difficult time for them.

Mr Johnston’s subsequent fundraising efforts didn’t go unnoticed. He was left in disbelief when he received a letter of recognition from Newbury MP Laura Farris.

The Conservative MP told him that she was delighted when she read about his charity walk in the Newbury Weekly News.

She said she was touched by the connection that Mr Johnston had with the charity through his mother and praised the work that they do.

Mr Johnston said: “I didn’t know what the letter was about but when I saw it I was taken aback by it.

“I was so overwhelmed with the letter, it meant so much.”

Mr Johnston will be stood at the store on both days at around noon.