A BOURNEMOUTH-based charity has appointed a new chief executive to lead their fundraising work.

The Dorset Community Foundation, on St Peter's Road, is now being headed up by Tracy Melling, the charity's former development director.

It is one of the biggest grant-making charities in the counties and has distributed over £1million of grants to 345 groups and individuals in the past two years.

Tracy said: "I am delighted to have been appointed as the Chief Executive to the Dorset Community Foundation.

"The Foundation has a crucial role to play in bringing together donors and fundraisers to help support the most vulnerable across Dorset.

"My aim is to raise our profile and the size of our endowment fund so that more people locally can benefit from our services."

Tracy has been with Dorset Community Foundation since 2012 and has been instrumental in rolling out the charity's Ambassadors scheme.

She also helped to launch the Dorset Fund, which aims to benefit young people in training and education, older people to become less isolated and individuals with mental health issues.

For more information on the Foundation's work, go to Dorsetcommunityfoundation.org