Sue Ryder: A life lived for others

Sue Ryder became a household name in the UK in the 1950s thanks to the Homes she founded and the help she gave to the survivors of the concentration camps, the disabled and anyone in need of long-term care who she brought to Britain. This work expanded to people living in Britain and was funded by various methods and in no small part by the well-known high street charity shops, which still operate today under her name. But her full story involves so much more-service with SOE in World War II, prison visiting in Germany in the immediate post-war years, long-haul relief work in countries all around the world and a life driven by a commitment to care for those in need.

In this new biography the story of an extraordinary life unfolds. It is a story of courage, dedication and adventure with a challenge. The second section of the book lists all the many countries where Sue Ryder worked and sets out the various activities undertaken, through the establishment of homes, hospitals, settlements and initiatives to support the sick and disabled.

In many of those countries that work continues to this day. Her message and the effect of how many have now been helped by her vision cannot be forgotten, as we near the centenary of her birth in 2024. This full account has never been told in one publication before now.