Merran Sewell, senior associate in national law firm Gateley plc’s Birmingham employment team, has been appointed as a new trustee to Sport Birmingham.

The appointment will see Merran join the independent charity as one of eleven trustees responsible for the governance and strategic direction of the Trust.

Working as one of 45 County Sport Partnerships in England, Sport Birmingham is committed to harnessing the power of sport and physical activity in order to improve the lives of individuals across Birmingham.

Commenting on her appointment, Merran said: “I am delighted to become a new Trustee for Sport Birmingham. The charity plays a vital role across the city and in our communities, encouraging individuals to get involved in sport and physical activity.

“I have benefited immensely from local sport clubs and I’m excited at the prospect of providing similar opportunities across our city, harnessing enthusiasm from recent campaigns such as “This Girl Can”. Within the UK only 25 per cent of over a million coaches are women. I look forward to that changing over the years ahead through the good work and endeavours of County Sports Partnerships in which I am proud to now play a part.

“In addition to my trustee responsibilities, I’ll also be supporting Sport Birmingham’s HR function. At Gateley many of our lawyers advise organisations within the sports sector and our teams have a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.”

Mike Chamberlain, Chief Executive Officer at Sport Birmingham, said: “With her passion for sport, experience and skill-set, Merran will be a really valuable addition to our Board, supporting the team to lead sport and physical activity development and investment in the city – exciting times lie ahead of us.”

The news comes shortly after Gateley Plc was named the key legal services provider to the Sports & Recreation Alliance (SRA). The SRA is an umbrella organisation for the governing and representative bodies of sport and recreation in the UK, representing 320 members, including the FA and UK Athletics. In addition to the SRA, the firm has a strong base of clients within the sports sector and count Manchester City FC and West Ham FC amongst them.

Gateley made legal history this year when it became the first UK commercial law firm to float on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.