A Teesside charity that helps young people at risk has a new chairman - bringing to an end one of the longest stewardships on record.

Eric Mills, boss of PR and advertising agency Mills Advertising and Publicity, is the new chairman of inner city youth organisation Fairbridge Teesside.

He takes over from Fred Hawman, the charity's acting chairman for the past five years.

"Fred has done an excellent job," said Fairbridge Teesside manager Mike Horsley, "but as he has now retired, he is keen for a younger person to take up the mantle, injecting fresh ideas both to raise funds, promote the work of Fairbridge Teesside and, above all, recognise the achievements of the young people it supports."

Fairbridge Teesside works with marginalized, disaffected and vulnerable young people from all over Teesside, helping them to gain the confidence, motivation and skills to change their lives.

Mr Mills, who has been a supporter of Fairbridge for a number of years, is a marketing specialist.

He said: "This year, Fairbridge Teesside will provide support to about 200 young people who are deemed at risk. It will engage them in challenging activities that will enable to develop personal, social and work-based skills, and steer them away from possible involvement in crime, drug abuse and anti-social behaviour."

* Vardy Contract Motoring (VCM) has appointed IRENE EMERY as customer services manager of the contract hire, fleet management and personal leasing division of Reg Vardy plc. VCM announced in November that its fleet had reached the landmark 10,000-vehicle figure and plans are under way for more growth in the coming months.

Mrs Emery has been appointed to oversee and enhance the service provided by the ten-strong sales support team to customers and VCM's field sales consultants. From Coventry, Mrs Emery spent 12 years at a Ford dealership in the city, progressing from office junior to accountant. When it was taken over by Pendragon, in 1985, she became accountant of the company's leasing division in Derby, a post she held for five years. She spent the next 12 years as customer services manager of Pendragon Contracts Ltd, before joining VCM.

* Commercial property lawyer COLIN DIXON has been appointed partner and head of property at law firm McCormicks, which has offices in Harrogate and Leeds. Mr Dixon joins McCormicks from national practice RadcliffesLeBrasseur. He specialises in all forms of property transactions, with principal focus on development, institutional sales and acquisitions, and leasing.

Clients have included Tesco, Dixons, UCI Cinemas and Six Continents. His assistant solicitor is ALISON BATTY, who will deal with all types of commercial property transactions, including landlord and tenant and development matters.

Mr Dixon trained at Freshfields, in London, where he worked for two years following his qualification as a solicitor, before moving to Addleshaw Goddard, in Leeds, for four years. He went on to lead CMS Cameron McKenna's property team in Budapest, Hungary.

* Eversheds has appointed ex Nissan lawyer PAUL CATO as a senior associate in its commercial group, based in the firm's Newcastle office. He joins Eversheds from Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK), where he was legal manger and company secretary.

In his new role he will be involved in expanding the firm's newly launched Services for In-House Counsel programme, as well as providing practical commercial advice.