Ruth Madeley

Ruth Madeley (born 4th August 1987) is a British actress known for her roles in Years and Years and The Rook. She was born with spina bifida and has worked with the charity Whizz-Kidz for much of her life. She was nominated for a television BAFTA in 2016 for her work in Don't Take My Baby. Early life Madeley was born in Westhoughton, and was diagnosed with spina bifida six weeks before she was born. She has an older sister named Liz. Her father worked in customer services and her mother was a nurse. When Madeley was 5 years old, the charity Whizz-Kidz provided funding for a custom wheelchair for her. Madeley actively volunteered for Whizz-Kidz throughout her childhood and was part of the Kidz Board youth panel. As part of her work with Whizz-Kidz, at age 13, she visited Cherie Blair at 10 Downing Street to discuss fundraising and awareness. At age 14, she received another wheelchair from the charity. At age 13, while a student at Mount St. Joseph, Farnworth, she was awarded the Princess Diana Memorial Award for young people. In 2004, at age 17, she was awarded the first Bolton Wanderers' Community Hero award. Madeley matriculated at Thornleigh Salesian College and later studied English and creative writing with a focus on scriptwriting at Edge Hill University.