ONE of Britain’s leading legal figures, Lady Hale, is to give a talk in support of Bedale Community Library.

Lady Brenda Hale of Richmond, who served as President of the Supreme Court of the UK from 2017 until her retirement in 2020, will give the annual talk organised by the Friends of Bedale Community Library on Thursday, March 17.

The event is in aid of the volunteer-run community library, which has running costs of £17,000 a year. In the past few years the Friends have raised more than £5,000. To attend the event and become a Friend of the Library, forms are available from the library, or email committee@bedalecommunitylibrary.org.uk

The cost is £15 including a glass of wine.

Baroness Hale was born in Leeds, and lived in Redcar until she was three when she moved to Richmond with her parents, who were teachers, and her two sisters. She was educated at Richmond High School for Girls, now part of Richmond School, where she and her two sisters were all head girls. She recently visited the school to address students.

She later studied at Girton College, Cambridge, where she read law and was one of six women in her class, which had 110 men, and graduated with a starred first and top of her class in 1966.  

Working part-time as a barrister, Baroness Hale also dedicated herself to academia becoming a Professor of Law at Manchester in 1986 and was appointed the first woman and youngest person to be appointed to the Law Commission. Following retirement she has served as a member of the House of Lords.