SHE has never shied away from her convictions.

Passion and determination have run through the veins of Janet Martin, the owner of the hugely popular Barnabas Arts House and the Phyllis Maud Performance Space, in Newport, since a young age.

When questioned about it, Mrs Martin believes that her tenacity is inherited from her late father.

“My father was a shop stewart steward and trade unionist, so he was very outspoken,” she said. recalled.

“I certainly do not get my makeup from my mother. I was not however brought up by my father.

“But my father did fight for what he thought was right – I hope this applies to me as well.

“I say things as they are. It does get me into trouble. But I would rather go to prison than be compromised in my beliefs. If I do feel strongly about something, then I will go to my death for it.”

But where did it all start for the defiant and well-known businesswoman?

“I was born in Canton, Cardiff, in a council house,” she said.

“I went to Market Road High School – but during my first year we were told it was closing. We all had to relocate to Fitzalan High School.

“My first school changed into a Chapter Arts Centre. That made a huge impact on me.

“I later flunked my A-levels because I was hopeless at exams. I had been destined to become a doctor.”

She added: “My parents could not believe I did not get the grades. It took an hour to convince them I was not going to medical school.”

It was during this period that Mrs Martin regaled one memory that showed a rebellious streak.

“We once kidnapped the headteacher of the school for the day and put him in a classroom to raise funds for a staffroom for sixth formers.

“I was a rebel.”

She soon turned her attention to becoming a nurse.

“I became an auxiliary nurse and worked at the same place as my mother did,” she said.

“I trained at University Hospital of Wales (UHW).

“I later became a rebel in nursing, too.”

Come 1974, the 20-year-old was now married and the newly-weds decided to re-locate to Yorkshire.

And the first day of marriage was certainly eventful for the Martins – but for all the wrong reasons.

“We parked up our blue Beetle, and someone later came off the road and smashed into it,” she recalled.

“That was the first day of marriage.”

Two years later the family packed up and headed for Rugby.

It was at this location that there was a real element of serendipity for Mrs Martin.

“I qualified and worked as a nurse for five years,” she said.

“And one day my daughter and I happened to be painting. I bought a frame for it and it cost the earth. I thought it was ridiculous and decided to get a book from the library on how to do it myself. I then became a picture framer by chance.

“And I am still a picture framer to this day.

“After moving to Newport, I started my business called Gwent Picture Framing. I have done work for Tredegar House, the mayor’s parlour and others.

“The business operated from home. And soon it went from strength to strength.

“A while later, a customer came in to see me and suggested that I move to an enterprise park in Bolt Street.

“I visited the enterprise park and I was their first tenant. I took my second daughter, Katy, who was then seven months old, with me. The person at the industrial park told me that I could not have the child with me because of health and safety. I said they would have to change it and I would be responsible for her health and safety. They then changed their policy.

“My marriage later ceased, and I had to find somewhere to go. I found a shop on George Street to operate Gwent Picture Framing from.

“The shop on George Street is still mine—but I have since brought the picture framing business into Barnabas House.”

And the businesswoman’s latest mission is to undo the growing stigma attached to the area of Newport she cares for the most.

She said: “I love Newport. But I do have a particular soft point for Pill.

“I want to undo stigma attached to this area.

“The projects I have been involved with in this area I hope have made Pill an even more attractable place to come to.

“I bought Robin’s Lane 15 years ago. There were derelict buildings on that lane but have since been turned into artist studios.

“I then opened Barnabas Arts House 10 years ago this year.

“And most recently the Phyllis Maud Performance Space opened. The building was once a Victorian toilet block but in recent years had fallen into dereliction. It was later transformed into the performance space and named after my late aunt – Phyllis Maud

“The way Pill has a bad name with some people is unjustified. There is a lot of things here for people to enjoy.

“There is also a lot of heritage in Pill. For instance, who knows that an anti-racist march occurred outside Barnabas 100 years ago?”

She added: “Alongside defending Pill, I am also looking to spread awareness of homelessness. I have ideas up my sleeve that are yet to be revealed.”