I first met Richard at the Sport Relief event held at the Community Centre in March 2016. Richard was there to walk a mile, then decided to make it 3 miles and bless him, he did complete it with the help of many local people, including the firefighters as we all took it in turns to walk a lap with him. That meeting made a significant impact on me, and we became firm friends that day.

Most of us will know Richard from his almost daily Costa visits which were all about socialising and being around people, young and not so young. At the same time, Sophie Tothill was a new mum with a baby and finding it hard to find activities she could enjoy in Holmes Chapel, and she had a brainwave - what about organising events where the older, more isolated people in our community could meet their younger counterparts? And that was how Bridge the Gap was started. Richard was an integral part of all our initial planning meetings and events. He supported everything we did, and for me, he was why I offered to volunteer.

There is no doubt that we will all miss Richard greatly. He was such a cheerful, positive, polite and well mannered gentleman who always had time to chat, and to listen and to learn. We would very much like to fundraise for a bench, and a children's bench in Richard’s memory to be installed by the Parish Council in the centre of the village, and ideally a vegetable planter as Richard loved the work of Home Grown, and was passionate about the environment . Please donate whatever you can.