A NEW chairman has been appointed to the Darlington branch of the North-East Chamber of Trade.

Jeff Fitzpatrick, 46, is managing director of Walker Hall Associates, a consultancy, training and business start-up company which has premises in Durham, Stockton and Middlesbrough.

He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and a member of both the Institute of Management and the Chartered Institute of Marketing,

Mr Fitzpatrick was instrumental in setting up Durham and Humberside Business Links, and a consultancy company for Action for Employment.

He is a trustee of the Stockton-based Castlegate Quay Trust, which uses watersports to entertain young people.

He is also chairman of the Cleveland Police Authority's standards committee.