A BARRY woman is taking to the Welsh Assembly election stage in the hope of representing comedian Sandi Toksvig’s newly-formed Women Equality Party on a regional level.

Sharon Lovell, of the West End of Barry, has announced her selection and candidacy for a South Wales Central Region Assembly Member position, which the nation will vote for on Thursday May 5.

Ms Lovell, director of children’s rights charity Nyas Cymru, said this was her first foray into political life having been interested in politics and voting, but never having felt there was a party that represented her.

The 45-year-old who has lived in Barry for 10 years, said she was surprised to have finished second in the party’s selection process which saw four of its candidates gaining the prospective assembly member nod.

The party’s members are striving for equal representation in politics and the boardroom; equal pay; equal parenting rights; equal treatment by and in the media; and an end to violence against women.

Ms Lovell said: "The Women’s Equality Party is the first political party I’ve been interested in. It’s non partisan in that we will be influencing all political parties, but we do have our own manifesto.

“I couldn’t believe it when I was selected. It was quite a vigorous process. I came second out of the four candidates. I didn’t expect to get chosen. I didn’t know anyone. Now I’ve got to begin campaigning. It’s stepping up a gear. It’s about time women’s issues in Barry and the Vale got heard. I will do all I can to make sure that they vote and are represented. But it’s for men as well – it’s equality for all.”

The South Wales Central AMs, as voted for at the 2011 Assembly election, are Conservatives Andrew R. T. Davies, and David Melding, the Liberal Democrat's Eluned Parrott and Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood.