THE woman who has been Bolton's face of Oxfam for more than 30 years is leaving to care for some new "life on earth".

Lesley Ridyard, of Egerton Vale, Egerton is upping sticks and leaving for the United States on September 15 to greet the arrival of a new grandson.

Her son David and daughter-in-law Pauline, who live in Texas, are expecting their first child and already have had it confirmed that it will be a boy.

Lesley, a widow, has booked to go for six months to become "full time baby sitter" but says she might just stay if she likes the life out there.

Her friends in Bolton are already laying bets on how long it will be before she's running some Texan third world campaign group.

They have marvelled at her dedication as Oxfam organiser for the Bolton area - doing everything from the paper work and barracking VIPs to opening smelly bags of milk bottle tops for recycling.

Chris Cresswell, co-ordinator of the World Development Movement in Bolton, said the town would miss Lesley terribly.

"One day she could be heaving weighty sacks up two flights of stairs, the next lobbying MPs at the House of Commons or sharing in Oxfam's birthday celebrations at Oxford Town Hall." Since 1984, Bolton's Oxfam and WDM groups have worked closely - even holding joint meetings and demonstrations - and their two leaders have become the town's best known faces in campaigns against poverty and world inequality.

As well as her local work, including working with the team at the Astley Bridge Oxfam shop, Lesley has served as an Oxfam trustee, sharing in top level discussions in Oxford about Oxfam's policy and future.

She has been an ardent fund raiser and was the Bolton contact for the Oxfam Campaigning Group, which began life with its hard hitting "Hungry for Change" campaign throughout the world.

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