Nardy House has received a large grant from the Ryder Cheshire Foundation to enable the group to complete construction of their permanent accommodation facility at Quaama. The permanent accommodation facility has always been the main aim of the Nardy House Committee and this grant will mean that the goal is nearing completion. Fit out of the building will require further fund raising however the chief objectives of the group have been achieved.
The Ryder-Cheshire Foundation in New South Wales is part of the Ryder Cheshire Foundation, a registered international charity founded by Leonard Cheshire and Sue Ryder. The primary purpose of the Foundation is to relieve suffering among sick, disabled and destitute people without regard to age, race or religion. The Foundation undertakes projects and establishes homes where there is a clear need. There are now nearly 400 homes in more than 50 countries.
Group Captain Lord Cheshire of Woodhall, VC, OM, DSO, DFC, was a legendary World War II bomber pilot. After the war, Cheshire heard that a man he knew was dying of cancer, so he took him into his own home and nursed him until his death. Others soon followed, so leading to the creation of the Cheshire Homes for the Disabled. Sadly he died of motor neurone disease in July 1992.
Baroness Ryder of Warsaw, CMG, OBE, was a member of the Polish section of the highly secret Special Operation Executive during World War II. This experience launched her, immediately after the war, into relief work among the millions of sick, destitute and homeless people throughout Europe. She created the Sue Ryder Foundation for the sick and handicapped throughout the world. She died in November 2000.
Leonard and Sue were married in 1959, so joining together two highly committed and humanitarian people and leading to the creation of the Ryder-Cheshire Foundation.
Recently money became available to the Foundation through the estate of the late Roy Beaumont Lowndes. The donation to Nardy House was made in memory of his late mother, Doris Beaumont Lowndes, and her name will be used for the permanent accommodation building. The grant highlights the absolute uniqueness of the Nardy House Project and the ability of the Nardy House Committee to attract supporters from the wider community
Representatives of Ryder Cheshire visited Nardy House in October : see photos of visit on Friends and Funding page.