Ashlie Lewis is the winner for Trustee of the Year at the Cardiff Volunteer Awards 2025!
An exceptional trustee at AP Cymru with 13 years of dedicated voluntary service, Ashlie has shown unwavering commitment and transformative leadership grounded in her lived experience as a neurodivergent woman. Her personal journey, including a late neurodivergence diagnosis—a common experience for many women—gives her unique insight into barriers underserved communities face and fuels her passionate advocacy.
Ashlie enriches every aspect of her volunteering with lived experience, extending beyond governance to strategic oversight, mentoring, and championing initiatives that increase support for neurodivergent community members.
Having faced stigma and misunderstanding herself, Ashlie deeply empathises with others encountering similar challenges. Empathy strengthens her resolve to break down barriers and create inclusive environments. She mentors new trustees, promotes leadership that values diverse voices and lived expertise, and keeps governance vital and inclusive.
She embeds lived experience in decision-making and builds community capacity to ensure the organisation adapts continually while empowering future generations.
Her rare combination of long-term service, expert knowledge, and authentic lived experience makes her an invaluable asset. She embodies voluntary service’s true spirit, inspires others, and drives her organisation toward lasting positive impact and equity.
A sincere thanks from all of us at C3SC for AP Cymru’s contribution to the Cardiff voluntary sector and in recognising and celebrating Ashlie’s trusteeship by putting her forward as a nominee to this year’s awards.
If you would like to read more inspiring stories from the Cardiff Volunteer Awards 2025, please visit the webpage here.
C3SC is the umbrella charity for the voluntary sector in Cardiff. We provide information and advice to volunteers and not-for-profit groups and opportunities to network, learn and exchange ideas. Please get in touch with us – email volunteer@c3sc.org.uk if you’d like to express an interest in starting or continuing your volunteering journey – we’d be happy to help!
