Thatcham widower launches appeal to find donor of groceries at difficult Christmas time

Tony Richardson, aged 70, lost his partner Joyce Wooldridge in November, just weeks before her Christmas Day birthday, when she would have turned 84.
The couple were due to celebrate her birthday on a special holiday in Italy.
Following her funeral in early December, and a trip to stay with his son in Torquay, Mr Richardson returned to his Loundyes Way home, in Thatcham, to discover a large amount of food shopping had been left in his front porch.
The thoughtful gift contained items such as tea and coffee, biscuits and tinned fruit from Waitrose, which Mr Richardson thought would have cost between £50 and £60.
A card left with the shopping gave the donor’s name only as Doreen, who said she related to his sadness having lost her husband at Christmas time a few years ago.
Speaking to the Newbury Weekly News this week, Mr Richardson said: “I think I know who it is, but I’m not quite sure.
“I want her to ring so I can thank her personally.
“It choked me up, it really touched me.”
Mr Richardson, who used to work for Newbury Buses before he retired, thinks it may have been one of the regular passengers on his former route.
He described Mrs Wooldridge as “brilliant” and spoke fondly of the many holidays the pair had shared together.
Mrs Wooldridge suffered a serious fall down a flight of stairs in July, from which Mr Richardson said she never fully recovered. She died from a urinary tract infection on November 24.
Are you the anonymous food donor, or do you know who it was? Mr Richardson would love to hear from you.
He has asked that you make contact with Newbury Weekly News reporter Ellis Barker by calling (01635) 886639 or emailing ellis.barker@newburynews.co.uk, who can then put you in touch with him.