The 2008 Star Woman of the Year will be crowned next week. In the build-up to the presentation

ceremony, we’re profiling one of our eight finalists each day. Today we raise a glass to Joan Grant, a former landlady.

If it’s happening in Bishop’s Castle, there’s a fair chance that Joan Grant will be in the thick of the action.

The hospital, carnival, British Legion, church, bowling club . . . she’s involved with them all.

The 67-year-old community lynchpin and mother of three, from Carpenter Street, is from a well-known Bishop’s Castle family. Her parents owned the King’s Head pub, her grandfather was the local police sergeant, and she herself did a 15-year stint at the Castle Hotel before calling time in 1988.

Described as “bubbly, outgoing, kind and caring”, Joan is dedicated to the women’s section of the British Legion where she’s been chairman for five years and put in many an hour raising cash for the poppy appeal.

She also played a key role in helping to save the Bishop’s Castle carnival from extinction four years ago, and is committee treasurer. “It’s going very well,” she says. “Thanks to the people of Bishop’s Castle who will volunteer for everything!”.

This month she was made chairman of the South Shropshire Tenants Association having served on the committee for eight years. With a resource centre in Craven Arms, it’s manned five mornings a week and first port of call for many seeking help and advice.

For ten years Joan has also been heavily involved with the Friends of Stone House Hospital where, in addition to being membership secretary, she pulls in volunteers and helps raise funds for activities such as shopping, organising teas and doing the “library run”.

She also sits on the committee of the PCC of St John the Baptist Church, is treasurer for the Civil Defence Bowling Club and has hit many a six for the local cricket club raising some £3,000 over the last four years.

“I’m a really social person so I love being around people and helping people,” says Joan, who achieves all this despite five knee replacement operations. With a meeting or event to attend almost every day, she describes herself as “happy and fulfilled”.