The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association today recently the appointment of Bridget Warr as its new Chief Executive with effect from April 2004. She succeeds Geraldine Peacock CBE who left the Association last year.

Bridget brings to Guide Dogs a wealth of experience in the voluntary and not-for-profit sectors and is presently a member of the Executive Management Board of Scope responsible for the Education, Employment and Supporting Activities.

Important

Guide Dogs’ Chairman Barry Weatherill, said: “We are delighted to be able to welcome someone of Bridget’s calibre to Guide Dogs. This new appointment comes at an important time in our history, as we complete the task of moving to a more flexible, community-based delivery of services within a more secure financial framework. I am sure that Bridget’s leadership ability and wide expertise will help us achieve our vision of delivering improved high quality services for blind and partially sighted people for the years ahead”.

Bridget Warr was educated at Exeter and Newcastle Universities and spent here early career in the teaching, social work, probation and welfare fields. Between 1981 and 1984 she worked as a principal Fostering and Adoptions Officer in the London Borough of Ealing, before becoming assistant Director (Regions and Exchange) with the British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering. Bridget joined Scope (formerly the Spastics Society) in 1989 and prior to her present role held Directorships in Quality Assurance, Research, HR and Partnership & Community Development. She has been a trustee of a number of organisations; she is a Churchill Fellow; has published two books and attained an MBA at the University of the East of England.