Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Stormin’ Norman Ridley: Perth cycle campaigner and man of faith dies

Norman Ridley.
Norman Ridley.

Norman Ridley supported death-row inmates in Changi prison, Singapore, cared for the destitute across Britain and in later life championed the work of Cycling Without Age in Perth.

He earned the nickname Stormin’ Norman and became a great supporter of the organisation which runs motorised trishaws to take elderly people on trips around the city and its hinterland.

Star side

In his youth, Norman, who has died aged 85, counted both Bobby and Jackie Charlton as team-mates in his school football side at Ashington, Northumberland.

Underpinning all his activities, however, was Norman’s Christian faith. For 70 years he lived his commitment through service around the world.

Dedication

He first attended a Salvation Army meeting in Ashington in 1950. Two years later he signed his Articles of War from which he never wavered for the rest of his life.

Norman’s two years’ National Service were spent as an ambulance driver in the RAF before he moved to Perth in 1957.

It was there he met his future wife, Mary Crockart, and the couple married at the city’s Salvation Army citadel the following year.

Training

They raised three children in Perth, Ilene, Norman and Lorna and, in 1967 the family moved to London where Norman and Mary embarked on officer training with the Salvation Army.

After two years they were commissioned, then for the next 10 years, they served as corps officers at Strathaven, Coatbridge, Stockbridge, Penicuik and Bridgeton.

In 1978, Norman and Mary transferred to the Salvation Army’s social services department and until 1993, worked in men’s hostels in Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham, Glasgow and London.

Norman Ridley promoting Cycling Without Age at Perth High School.

Their son, Norman, said: “Every night they cared for up to 400 men, homeless, some with addictions including to alcohol; people at a low point in their lives.

“They took them, bathed them, clothed then fed them and arranged for their physical and mental needs.

Far East

“They helped them get back into mainstream life and find jobs and housing.”

In 1993, Norman and Mary were transferred to Singapore but to different appointments.

Norman was chaplain at Changi prison and Singapore boys’ home, while Mary was in charge of a home for 280 children.

“My father provided counselling and support to prisoners, some on death row, and their families and together they cared for children, many with troubled lives,” said Norman.

The coupled returned to Perth in 1997 and despite being retired, Norman continued to work in offender rehabilitation.

Cycling

Four years ago he became involved in Cycling Without Age, raising funds and providing support and encouragement.

Norman was often the public face of the organisation in Perth, photographed on a trishaw promoting its work.

He was predeceased by Mary and is survived by Ilene, Norman and Lorna, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

You can read the family’s announcement here.