Paddy Sloan, who led the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission for eight years, has joined The Legal Education Foundation board as a trustee.

Paddy brings with her a wealth of grant-making experience as well as human rights expertise, and will chair TLEF’s grants, programmes and learning committee.

Matthew Smerdon, TLEF CEO, says: ‘Paddy will be such a great addition to the team, and we are delighted to be working with her. Her insight into equalities and human rights will be invaluable to the work of the foundation, as will her extensive experience as a grant-maker and her work across all four nations of the UK.’

Paddy says: “I am proud to be associated with The Legal Education Foundation as a dynamic and expert organisation developing links between lived experience and the law as a tool for positive social action. As a funder with a commitment to social justice I very much look forward to working with TLEF staff and trustees to help drive this important work.”

Paddy is currently director of BBC Children in Need’s £10m programme A Million & Me, which supports children’s mental health. She joined BBC Children in Need in 2007, as the charity’s national head in Northern Ireland, before becoming interim director of grants and policy from 2016 to 2018.

Paddy was chief executive of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission from 1999 to 2007; a co-opted member of Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s Ireland committee from 2008 to 2012, and deputy chair of the Northern Ireland Charity Commission until 2013.