A REAL Yorkshire welcome was on hand for Frenchman FRANCK DEVIENNE when he visited his new local in the village of Staveley.

Mr Devienne has been appointed as customer services director at the automotive interiors manufacturer Treves UK, joining from the company's international division in Paris, where he has been based for the past nine years.

Diane Hawley, licensee of the Royal Oak, invited Mr Devienne to enjoy a giant Yorkshire pudding, complete with locally-made savoury sausages and gravy, washed down with a pint of Black Sheep ale.

Mr Devienne will head Treves UK's five-strong UK sales team, and will be responsible for sales, commercial activities and overall customer relations at the firm's Knaresborough site.

l Wilton-based engineering and outsource contractor Caxios has further strengthened its executive team with the appointment of ANDY TOFFOLO, from Darlington, as maintenance director.

Mr Toffolo, 34, joins Caxios from AMEC where he was West Europe Operations Manager based in the Netherlands. A mechanical engineering graduate from Herriot Watt University, Mr Toffolo spent seven years with ICI Teesside in a number of engineering and management positions.

l Woodland Healthcare has appointed MOLLIE TIVERNDALE, 46, as matron at its Woodlands Hospital in Darlington.

Mrs Tiverndale will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the hospital wards and nursing staff at the new hospital, under construction at Morton Park in the town. She trained at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh. Her former jobs include Macmillan Nurse and Sister at Butterwick Hospice.

l Newcastle Building Society has increased its strategic focus on the social housing sector with the appointment of lending manager DARREN WARNEFORD.

The newly created role will focus on developing links with relevant organisations and assessing possible high-quality housing projects across the UK.

l PAUL KIRBY has been appointed as dispatch team leader at printing company Simpsongroup. Paul joins the Washington company with a wealth of experience, having worked in dispatch and transport roles for more than 15 years.

l Construction consultants Faithful & Gould have appointed ALEXANDRA HUDSON as senior building surveyor. She will provide building surveying services to existing clients and develop the department to complement the consultancy's work in construction and property markets.

l NICK MYERS has been appointed as business development manager at international bulk materials loading chute manufacturer, Cleveland Cascades.

Mr Myers, 33, has a degree in mechanical and electrical engineering. He joined Cleveland Cascades as an applications engineer when the company was formed in 1995. A year later he became production manager