My friend Joan Jenkins, who has died aged 79, first developed an interest in politics when she was a teenager. Always one to fight against inequality and injustice, she started attending political hustings, heckling from the back, and incurring her father’s wrath for embarrassing the family.
Later, raising a family of her own in Old Buckenham, Norfolk, Joan immersed herself in the local politics of village and community life. She became secretary to the parish council (and was prominent in raising funds to replace the dilapidated village hall with a building that was the envy of many larger villages), then executive officer for the Norfolk County Association of Parish and Town Councils and later the deputy director of Norfolk Rural Community Council. She was a much respected and valued magistrate, serving for many years at Thetford. She also held notable positions in numerous other organisations where her enthusiasm, knowledge and dedication were widely recognised.
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