Lady Ryder of Warsaw (1923 - 2000)

Margaret Susan Ryder was born on the 3^rd July 1923 in Leeds Infirmary. Her father, a farmer, had married her mother when he was a middle-aged widower with five children. They had four more children and Sue Ryder was the youngest of nine children. She spent her childhood in Scarcroft near Leeds and for four months of the year they stayed at their family home in Thurlow Suffolk.  Her Mother often shouldered the troubles of others; sometimes there was little room for family as people crowded into the house to relate their problems.

During Sue Ryder’s childhood there were slums in Leeds and her Mother campaigned with others to get better housing and conditions for these people. During the holidays the children came to play and spend time in the fresh air on the farm.  This had a big influence on Sue Ryder.  

In the Second World War Sue Ryder joined the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry.  Later she was part of Churchill’s Special Operations Executive where she served in the Polish Section.  She stayed on and did relief work after the war and visited Polish young men who had turned to petty theft and had been thrown into prison.  During that time she visited some 1400 working to get them released or their time in prison reduced. 

Sue Ryder had an idea or vision to set up a living memorial to all those millions who gave their lives during the two world wars in defence of human values.  In 1953 the Sue Ryder Foundation was registered as a charity and the first Sue Ryder Home was opened in Cavendish Suffolk in her Mother’s five bedroom farmhouse.  She also set up a Holiday scheme for disabled people from abroad.  For about eleven years they rented a wing of Melford Hall. Sue Ryder heard of an ideal house in Hertfordshire called Stagenhoe which could become a Sue Ryder Home and a good place for people taking advantage of the Holiday Scheme to stay.  Stagenhoe opened in 1969 and the holiday scheme continued for another ten years until 1979. There is still a Sue Ryder Neurological Care Centre there today. 

In 1955 Sue Ryder met Leonard Cheshire.  They were engaged in February 1958 and married on the 5^th April 1959 in Bombay.  They had two children Jeromy and Elizabeth.

This tiny lady Sue Ryder worked tirelessly in the United Kingdom and abroad.  Setting up 80 Homes worldwide and meeting needs that weren’t already being met.  She also set up a shops network with around 500 shops in the UK and more abroad.  Routinely she travelled 50,000 miles a year.  She drove a huge lorry called Joshua which was replaced in latter years by big white van.  Sue Ryder did a car maintenance course so that if anything went wrong on her journeys she could, if at all possible, put it right. 

Sue Ryder was appointed OBE in 1957 and CMG in 1976.  When she was offered a peerage in 1979, Sue Ryder took a long time deciding whether or not to accept.  She finally did so, realising the House of Lords could provide a useful platform.  She took the title Baroness Ryder of Warsaw because, she explained, of her “great admiration, respect and love for the Polish people.” 

Sue Ryder had a great faith getting up every morning at 4 a.m. to have her hour with God before starting her long day.  Her aim was that as much money as possible went to those who needed it.  Because of this she made as many telephone calls as possible before 8 a.m. because it was cheaper then.  She was a Roman Catholic and with Leonard Cheshire had an audience with the Pope in Rome on the 5^th April 1984 their Silver Wedding anniversary.  

Lady Ryder was involved in every part of the charity.  She would never ask anyone to do anything she wouldn’t do herself.  When she visited a Sue Ryder Home for a meeting she made sure that before she went home she saw all the residents or patients, volunteers and staff.   She would happily scrub a floor, make tea in the coffee shop and was never happier than when she was helping with the care of patients or residents. 

Lady Ryder died on 2^nd November 2000.  Her Spirit will live forever in the work that continues in her name.