Su (Susan) has been a ‘full-time worker’ volunteer with IofC since 1980. She travelled for three years in French-speaking Europe with the team producing the musical play ‘Un soleil en pleine nuit’. After moving to London to continue with IofC, she married Peter Riddell. They moved to Oxford in 1990, where they host the IofC house. They have two children; and a little grandson.
Harvesting her experience from living and working with IofC teams, Su took up the task of UK Co-Ordinator for Creators of Peace from 2008 to 2015.
In 2015 Su joined the 'REAL Change Begins Within' programme (active in the UK and some sessions in Caux) which enables participants to engage deeper with IofC’s core values and practices. This has brought Su added clarity and coherence, in her daily times of silent reflection and understanding of core values, and she finds she can better navigate life’s challenges. Over the years these have included bringing up a special needs child; being treated for cancer; and supporting an elderly parent with dementia. She notices that this sturdy base to her personal practice provides a steadier foundation for her accompaniment of others.
Since summer 2021, Su has been organising regular gatherings in the Oxford IofC house, to welcome people newly arrived from overseas, incorporating activities based on Su’s hobbies of arts and crafts. As well as being enjoyed by all, participants report this creativity provides space to reflect on their process of settling into a new community, and offers relief from the pressures of conversation in a new language.
