Marilyn Bradford

Marilyn, with her husband, Len, became supporters of Ryder-Cheshire after their two daughters, Gillian and Hilary, attended Ballarat Clarendon College. At that time, the College sponsored several residents at Raphael in India. The Junior School is still a generous donor for projects at Raphael, as you may read in another part of this newsletter. 

Sadly, Len passed away several years ago. Deviki was the first special person for Marilyn and Len. This sponsorship began in 1999. They followed the progress and welfare of Deviki for 15 years.

After Deviki passed away in 2014, there was Suhana, a young girl living in the Little White House. When she had completed Year 8 at Raphael, Suhana went back home to her family. 

She had gained many manual, academic and social skills in her five years at Raphael. Since that time, Marilyn has generously supported both Raphael in India and Klibur Domin in Timor-Leste. 

We have happy memories of a kind and lovely lady. May she rest in peace.

Adela Bartrop

Last year, 2024, we were very sad to say farewell to one of our longest serving sponsors, Adela Bartrop.

Adela was a member of many community groups and charities. She had been a sponsor for Ryder-Cheshire for 50 years! In that time, she had taken a special interest in the progress of numbers of residents at Raphael. Some of these were Sarojni, Anchal, Komal, Aryan, and for the last ten years, her special person was Luxmi. Adela was a very kind, generous and supportive member of the Ryder-Cheshire family.

Our thoughts are with her family and friends, who miss her very much. We thank Adela for her assistance over so many years ‘for the relief of suffering’. 

Ena and Eileen Harrison

Two of Ballarat Support Group’s longest-serving sponsors were sisters, Ena and Eileen Harrison who lived in Ararat. They had been supporters almost since the Foundation began in Australia. 

Every week when they first started working, they donated a small amount of their weekly pays to Ryder-Cheshire. These donations were collected by their local priest, Father Brendan Smith, who became a sponsor for Raphael. 

Ena and Eileen started their own sponsorship in 1992. Ever since then, they kept an interest in the health and well-being of Usha, at Shiv Sadan, who is still living there today.

They were always concerned about Usha, and enjoyed reading the reports about her when these arrived each six months from Raphael. 

Sadly, Ena died 3 years ago, and Eileen last year. Both of these dear ladies were in their nineties!

We remember them both with fondness, and gratitude for their assistance over so many years ‘for the relief of suffering’.

Dorothy Carpenter