A Darlington building society manager has been appointed as a new board member on the Tees Valley Trust.

Robert Murphy, who is underwriting manager for Darlington Building Society, will be involved with projects aimed at helping young tenants and people needing support to live successfully in their communities.

Tees Valley Trust, the charitable arm of Tees Valley Housing Group, specialises in working with young people, including young parents, and provides homes for people with mental health problems, and learning and physical disabilities.

The trust's main aim is to help tenants achieve independence and self-sufficiency through good quality housing and services.

Mr Murphy, who lives in Darlington, has been involved with housing groups for many years.

Through his work at Darlington Building Society during the past 20 years, he has been involved with setting up the Helping Hand Saving and Loans Scheme. The initiative enabled tenants to open bank accounts with as little as £1, giving them high rates of interest and the chance to take out loans up to double the amount they had saved.

Mr Murphy said he was looking forward to working on the trust's board, which meets four times a year.

He said: "This is an excellent opportunity for me to get involved in an outstanding and worthwhile organisation, and I will enjoy helping to make a difference to the local communities in the Tees Valley.