The Refugee Council, the leading charity supporting refugees and asylum seekers in the UK, today announces the appointment of Maeve Sherlock as its new Chief Executive. Ms Sherlock will be leaving her present position in the Treasury where she has been advisor to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown since 2000.

In her current post, Ms Sherlock has advised on a range of issues including welfare reform, poverty and social exclusion, employment policy, families with children and the voluntary and community sectors. Prior to her work at the Treasury she was Chief Executive of the National Council for One Parent Families, the biggest charity working with and for lone parent families, and served as Chief Executive of UKCOSA: The Council for International Education, a charity working in the field of international education and supporting international students.

She has had a number of non-executive appointments including Trustee and Treasurer of the National Family & Parenting Institute, and was awarded an honorary doctorate by Sheffield Hallam University in 2000. She received an OBE in 2000 for services to the eradication of child poverty.

Commenting on her new appointment, Maeve Sherlock said:

“I am delighted to be joining an organisation as well respected as the Refugee Council and look forward to working with its staff and trustees. I will enjoy the opportunity of building on the excellent reputation of the Refugee Council for delivering vital services to refugees and influencing public policy to ensure a fair asylum system.

“After three fascinating years in the Treasury, I am ready for a fresh challenge and am looking forward to a return to the voluntary sector”.

Naaz Coker, Chair of the Refugee Council said:

“I am delighted to welcome a person of Maeve Sherlock’s calibre as Chief Executive of the Refugee Council. I am looking forward to working with her to further the ever challenging agenda of refugee protection. The Refugee Council will require all its energy and resources in the future to campaign for a fair asylum process in the UK, Europe and further afield whilst continuing to provide support and services to asylum seekers and refugees in Britain. Maeve’s skills and experience will be an invaluable resource”.

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