Joan Reynolds, 92, has helped raise more than £250,000 for the Newport Royal British Legion branch and has been at the centre of community activities in the city for much of her life.

Her work was recognised in 2003 when she was awarded the MBE for services to the community.

Saul Cooke-Black spoke to her about her life and achievements.

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"I AM A STAUNCH Newportonian.

"I was born in 1925 in the Crindau, Malpas area and things were far from easy.

"My father worked for himself as a fruit and vegetable vendor and he serviced Maindee, Corporation Road, over the Transporter Bridge and to the Pill area.

"The Pill area at that time when the docks were busy was a very good neighbourhood.

"Up to the war things were difficult.

"There was real poverty in this time.

"We were lucky that my father worked for himself.

"We were not well off but we were not hungry.

"I was one of a family of eight and the eldest of five girls.

"As soon as we were old enough we had to help on the stalls.

"We were paid two pence and that two pence we would use to go to Peglers in the High Street which was a general grocery store.

"The whole area was so busy.

"The location of the now bus station was a crescent of stalls and on Saturday the whole area of the High Street and the Market was a hub of activity.

"We had people coming up until quite late in the evening, until 8pm or 9pm to buy last thing.

"I also remember the old town hall before the civic centre was built. It took up the area of what we called the Friars.

"The old town hall had a balcony.

"The mayor and mayoress came out on election night or any special occasion, and people would gather into the town.

"We had one occasion when Gracie Fields came to town and her famous song was Sally.

"She was on the balcony with the mayor and mayoress and sang Sally and in no time at all the whole crowd was singing Sally.

"1938 was a very worrying year.

"People were not only dealing with poverty, they were dealing with the fear of the men of the family going off to war.

"Then Mr Chamberlain, the then Prime Minister, finally after a lot of toing and froing decided that yes, this country is at war with Germany.

"I had two older brothers. One went to sea and had a shocking time and never really recovered from it.

"My other brother went into the South Wales Borders Second Battalion who were on the beaches of Normandy on D-day.

"Last year he was invited with about eight friends into the French embassy in Ottawa to be presented with a medal from the ambassador.

"Then the women started to be encouraged to join the forces.

"I joined in May, 1942.

"I was moved across to Oswestry which was the training regiment for the Royal Artillery.

"We were trained to operate the instruments on command posts that guided the guns for fire at enemy aircraft.

"At the passing out parade 12 men and three women were called out and asked to step forward.

"I was 17 and my name was one of the three.

"We all stepped forward not knowing what it was all about and then we were too frightened to step back.

"We stayed on to do what was called a potential NCOs course.

"I was 5ft nothing and 17 and less than a half but I thought I will do it anyway.

"I passed and stayed on in that training regiment to train the female income.

"The I wanted some action so I asked for a posting and they posted me to Edinburgh and that battery was four gun sites and a headquarters.

"But then my mother died in June, 1941.

"My sister was looking after the family then she became ill and I had to have compassionate leave.

"Eventually I had a cross posting and I was down to Private again.

"From there I went to Bristol and then moved closer to home because my father was not well.

"My last posting was when the heavy aircraft sites got the order to stand down.

"I considered my time in the army as my university.

"In the meantime I had met my husband to be and we were married in October after the war.

"We met in Newport. I was on leave and he was too.

"We married in October, 1945 but he did not come out of the army until late 1946.

"My son was born in 1946.

"I did not go to work until my son was three-years-old and went to nursery.

"The first job I did was in EG Taylors.

"Then I worked for ARMCO based in Corporation Rod and Stephenson Street where I stayed for 28 years.

"I was asked to run for council several times but I turned it down because I knew I was too forthright.

"People very often do not like to hear the truth.

"I have seen so much hurt and tragedy that we should not stand still for things that are not right.

"At the time when I was asked to run in 1946 and 1947 things were very bad.

"That's why I put my time to charity. I thought I can do better here.

"I started charity work in 1954.

"Myself and Mrs Olive Nash, the only other employee (at ARMCO) at the time, decided we should do a Founder's Day.

"We found an elderly man who was living in pretty poor circumstances and his room badly decorating.

"I had never decorated in my life before.

"When the workforce came eventually we formed a committee and we did all sorts.

"We provided coal for pensioners, we provided food and we made and installed equipment for children who were disadvantaged.

"There was a unit in what was Crindau School and we put equipment there.

"We also did no end for hospitals.

"When people came to work they were told we have a founder's day and it's a deduction from your wages.

"Nobody ever quibbled.

"From there I was in contact with a lifelong friend whose granddaughter was autistic.

"Nothing was being done because it was not recognised. Even medical people would not accept there was such a thing as autism.

"So we decided we are going to do something about this.

"We got together with a few others and formed a committee and from there the Gwent Autistic Society was formed.

"Later on I became a director of the National Autistic Society.

"A great deal of effort by a good many dedicated people brought about a change in attitude.

"I joined the Royal British Legion Bassaleg branch in 1982.

"At the time the vicar of St Basil's church was the poppy appeal organiser.

"He had to move on and they did not ask me, they planted the job of poppy appeal organiser on me and to this day I'm the poppy appeal organiser.

"You go into my garage and you have to fight your way through poppies.

"I was the first woman ever to be made a chairman of the Royal British Legion.

"I remember the first meeting I went to as chairman.

"There were about 200 men, it was very formal and organised, and I thought "Well, hold your head up for the females of this country."

"So I decked myself out formally and wore my badges and I thought I will make a grand entrance.

"I marched in and all the men were looking because they did not expect to see a woman.

"One of the highlights of my life was when I went to Buckingham Palace (to be made an MBE).

"I don't feel any different because I was made a Member of the British Empire because it's all because of other people who have encouraged me, who have worked with me and who have put me on the right road.

"It's not just for me, it's a shared thing."