Ryder, Sue (1923-2000), a British humanitarian and charitable benefactor, became well known for her work in helping people with illnesses and disabilities. She established the Sue Ryder Foundation (now called Sue Ryder Care), which carries out charitable work in a number of countries.
Sue Ryder was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, on July 3, 1923. She was educated at Benenden School, a “public school” (privately funded school) for girls in Kent. During World War II (1939-1945), she worked mainly with the Polish section of the Special Operations Executive, which supported resistance groups in German-occupied Europe. After the war, her experiences led her to establish a “living memorial,” not only to those who had died, but also to those who were still suffering from any injustices, regardless of cause.
In 1953, she formed the Sue Ryder Foundation. Ryder opened a residential care home at Cavendish, near Sudbury, Suffolk, for the physically ill and others in need. The foundation now maintains dozens of Sue Ryder Homes in many countries, including Italy and Poland. There are more than 20 Sue Ryder Homes in the United Kingdom alone, caring for patients with a wide variety of diseases and disabilities. The foundation raises funds for projects from individual donations from the public, from legacies, and from its hundreds of Sue Ryder shops, which rely on donated second-hand items.
In 1959, Sue Ryder married Group Captain Leonard Cheshire, a British war hero and charity worker. He was the founder of the Leonard Cheshire Foundation Homes, a group of residential homes and a home-care service for long-term patients. The Ryder-Cheshire Foundation was formed in 1958 to undertake projects that were outside the scope of either foundation, and to extend their charitable work to other countries, particularly India.
Sue Ryder won honors and decorations from many countries for her charitable works, including the Order of Merit from the president of Poland in 1992. She received the Order of the British Empire in 1957. In 1978, she became a life peer, taking the title Baroness Ryder of Warsaw in Poland, and Cavendish in Suffolk. She died in Suffolk on Nov. 2, 2000. Books by Sue Ryder include her autobiographies, And the Morrow Is Theirs (1975) and Child of My Love (1986; revised 1997).
