BARONESS Ryder of Warsaw, better known as Sue ' Ryder through her chain of charity shops, has been glected as one of the four Catholic Women of the Year. She will be joined at top table on June 25 at the Russell Hotel luncheon by Jaquefine Stuyt MBE, the honorary secretary of the Catholic Union, Anne Dalton, who during 30 years of service with the BBC served as personal assistant to the late Bishop Agnellus Andrew when she helped set up the Catholic Radio and TV Centre at Hatch End, and Mary Johnston, the National President of the Union of Catholic Mothers.
The selection committee, made up of representatives of 14 Catholic organisations, stressed the difficulty of their task in selecting just four of the many nominations of outstanding women in many fields.
Previous winners of the coveted award include former Catholic Herald editor Frances Gumley, Victoria Gillick, Mary O'Hara and actress Patricia Hayes.
The guest speaker at the luncheon will be Baroness Hooper, formerly a Euro MP for Liverpool and now a goverment whip in the House of Lords since her elevation to life peerage.