Before her husband died, she was elected to the Anglican Church Assembly and joined the Council for Woman's Work.
She played a major part in settling the structures of the Assembly's successor body, the General Synod.
She served for 25 years on the Central Board of Finance and she was a member "the first woman to be appointed" of the Advisory Council for the Training of the Ministry.
In 1972, Archbishop Michael Ramsey appointed her to succeed Sir Hubert Ashton as Third Church Estates Commissioner, the first woman to hold the post, which she held until 1981.
[4] Ridley was a member of The Bach Choir for most of her adult life and sang under Reginald Jacques and David Willcocks.