Dorothy Rose Sanders Purdew (4 March 1932 – 5 September 2023) was a British businesswoman who was recognized for her role in the development and management of the Champneys spa chain.
[4][5] Her mother, May, descended from a Liverpool docker lineage, and her father, Dickie, an orphan, was raised in a workhouse before becoming a labourer and plumber.
[5][1] During World War II, Dorothy was evacuated to a farm in Wiltshire, while her father served in North Africa and her mother worked in an ammunition factory.
[1] Later in life, she attempted to establish a health spa at Thornby Hall in 1978, but faced financial challenges that led to voluntary liquidation.
[5] Under her leadership, and in collaboration with her son Stephen, several more spa locations were opened, including Springs in Leicestershire and Forest Mere in Hampshire.