Mr Clow has more than 20 years’ experience in director roles and is also a qualified chartered management accountant.

Laura Bruce, an investment executive and employee director of UMi, an employee-owned business-to-business advisory organisation headquartered in Seaham, County Durham has also joined as non-executive director. She brings extensive financial and business development expertise to Glencraft.

The two have been appointed to help deliver the future development plans of the organisation, which has provided employment opportunities for disadvantaged people for nearly 180 years.

Glencraft supports visually impaired and other disadvantaged people with dignity through work as it manufactures luxury mattresses and other soft furnishing products from its facility and showroom on Whitemyres Avenue in Mastrick.

Mr Clow and Ms Bruce will join current non-executive directors Jonathan Smith, chairman of Glencraft, and Leigh Stott, head of HR at an energy services firm, increasing the board to four.

Allan Clow said: “It’s a genuine honour to join the Glencraft board – I look forward to doing what I can to support the continued success of an amazing charity and its amazing people. I believe it is very well positioned to go from strength to strength in the years to come.”

Laura Bruce added: “I’m really excited to be taking on this role with Glencraft and helping it through its next phases of development. It is doing wonderful things for others; the company’s mission to provide dignity through work really resonates with me.”

Jonathan Smith commented: “Laura and Allan are hugely welcome additions to the Glencraft board. They will strengthen our team with their expertise and their keen understanding of our core purpose – helping ensure that every hand-crafted product creates a positive social impact.”