A new chair of the North East Child Poverty Commission (NECPC) has been announced.

Beth Farhat, who both grew up in and lives in the region, currently serves as the regional secretary of the National Education Union.

Her previous roles have included regional secretary of the Northern TUC and regional co-ordinator of Unionlearn.

She will assume her voluntary position on June 19 from interim chair - and operations director of Children North East - Michele Deans.

Ms Farhat said: "I am really delighted to be appointed as the new chair of the North East Child Poverty Commission, at what couldn’t be a more important time.

"Unacceptably high levels of poverty and hardship are not only limiting the life chances and opportunities of tens of thousands of children and families throughout the North East, this is holding the whole of our region back."

Ms Deans, offering her support to Ms Farhat, said "We are so pleased that Beth will be joining us at NECPC as our new independent chair.

"It has been a real privilege to help lead the Commission’s work over recent months – and particularly as we published ‘No time to wait’, our comprehensive blueprint for local and regional organisations to tackle child poverty."