Caitlin Lewis of Cwmbran-based QualitySolicitors Rubin Lewis O'Brien has just been appointed trustee and director of the charity Sparkle.

Sparkle started out with the aim of building and equipping the Serennu Children’s Centre based in Newport, which opened in April 2011 after a joint initiative with Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.

Now that Serennu is open, Sparkle continues to support it providing leisure and information services for children and young people and their families with complex and special needs.

Sparkle fundraises for a wide range of additional equipment and services, all based at Serennu, and now has more than 20 members of staff who help with their efforts.

Ms Lewis, solicitor at QualitySolicitors Rubin Lewis O’Brien, will be involved in the running of Sparkle as a director and trustee where she will be involved in decision making in matters such as the growth and development of the charity, leisure and educational activities for the children and young people, the development of other family centred services to accommodate the needs of parents and siblings, fundraising events, management and usage of finances.In addition to her usual trustee duties, Ms Lewis will also deal with any ancillary legal matters as they arise.

She said: "I have a personal interest in the charity. My older brother is severely disabled and therefore I'm honoured to be part of a charity that has such an important role in the lives of many disabled children in the area. I chose to join Sparkle when I heard that the charity wanted to have someone on the Board of Trustees that dealt with family law and Child Protection issues which is the area in which I practice."

Caitlin has previously volunteered for Barnardos and Friends of Chernobyl’s Children.She joins another member of QualitySolicitors Rubin Lewis O'Brien, Sarah Telford on the board of trustees. Ms Telford is an Employment and Litigation Solicitor who has been involved with Sparkle since March 2013 and in addition to her usual trustee duties, undertakes all the HR and Employment Law work and advice on behalf of the charity.