Margie and Geoffrey Richardson were both police officers, who had worked for over 33 years between them. They first met on Margie’s first day on the job 15 years ago, with Geoffrey having worked as a police officer for the previous three years. They went on to get married in 2004 and planned to start a family and buy a house to renovate. Together, they worked to make this dream a reality. They forged successful careers, had two young children, and a house to be renovated in Nelson Bay, New South Wales. All that changed in March 2016, when Geoffrey was killed while in police pursuit. Geoffrey leaves behind his two young children – seven-year-old Patrick, and Aiden, who was just five months old at the time of the accident.
At the time of the accident, Margie was on maternity leave and was due to return in May. Understandably, she has still been unable to return to work. She now faces the difficult task of having to look after her two young children, as well as finish the house renovation. Despite her loss, Margie is determined to complete the renovation. Moving somewhere else simply isn’t an option, not when there are still so many memories and connections to Geoffrey in the house.
Margie and Geoffrey had always focused on their community – organising fundraisers, blue light discos and school reading groups. So on the day of her husband’s funeral, Margie made herself a promise. She would accept help to get the house renovation completed.
To help out the couple that always put everyone else first, their story appeared on A Current Affair, with an appeal to the community to assist this family with their house renovation.
We knew it wasn’t just the house that needed renovating, the backyard did too. Any child would be ecstatic to have the opportunity to have a cubby house. Cubbies are particularly important in this instance. Margie’s seven-year-old Patrick suffers from autism. Children with autism often find it difficult to play. However, autistic children can learn and develop the skills needed for play. This also gives the parent a great opportunity to bond with their child. There are also many other benefits of cubbies for your children. It gives them their own personal space while fuelling their imagination. Bonding with your child in their own personal space is a great opportunity to create a special connection with the child.
Aarons Outdoor Living decided there was no option but to help out the young, grieving family. Being so young, the two children don’t quite understand what’s going on yet. Children don’t quite appreciate a house renovation as much as adults do. That’s why Aarons Outdoor Living knew the perfect solution. To give this family a helping hand, Aarons Outdoor Living has donated a cubby, complete with a slide for the children to enjoy. The cubby was built to incorporate the sandpit that Geoffrey made for his sons. Aarons Outdoor Living also included a JumpSport trampoline for the boys to enjoy.
We understand the difficulties involved in raising two young children. By installing a cubby and trampoline, we hope to make the lives of these two children just a little bit brighter. Margie will be able to enjoy her newly renovated house, while the children can spend time in their new cubby. We wish the Richardson’s all the best and hope they see many happy memories together in their renovated family home.
