The chief executive of training company Learning Curve has been appointed deputy lieutenant of County Durham.
Brenda McLeish’s appointment comes a few months after she was awarded an OBE for her contribution to education.
She said: “I am honoured to be appointed as deputy lieutenant of County Durham by Lord Lieutenant Sue Snowdon. I am incredibly passionate about raising aspirations for our region and people who live here. Throughout my career I have been dedicated to transforming lives through learning by promoting opportunities for all to build a career through our high-quality training programmes.