From syrup puddings to Jamie Oliver’s healthy school meals and the end of dinner money, as a dinner lady, Peggy Sweeting has been through it all.
On May 24, Peggy, 65, will serve her last school meal to hungry students at Lees Brook Academy after 37 years in the kitchen.
When she started in 1987, it was just a part time role she wanted to take on as her daughter, then three, prepared to start school.
“I always planned to leave when my daughter left school at 16,” said Peggy. “But I ended up staying!”
That’s because the part time job had turned into a career. She rose through the ranks, from Relief Kitchen Assistant, to Permanent Member of Staff to Catering Manager. In more recent years, Peggy has taken a step back down to Kitchen Assistant.
“When I was Catering Manager I ran the whole kitchen and had 14 members of staff under me. It really has been a career for me here,” she said.
Through those roles, Peggy has seen changes to both the school, which moved from being local authority led to now being part of Archway Learning Trust, as well as to catering in schools more broadly.
“When I started there was a lot of choice of different things to eat because we didn’t really have to think about things like allergies then,” recalls Peggy. “Now, it has become a lot more streamlined as we make sure we cater for different dietary requirements and allergies.”
The national movement for healthy school dinners, campaigned for by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, also left its mark.
“I think at the time it was a lot of change and paperwork. I was catering manager at the time, and I used to have to plan all the meals and then send off the menus to Derby City Council to get them approved and make sure they followed all the right requirements, and then they’d send them back.
But Peggy has not just been part of these changes, she has been at the forefront.
At the start of the new millennium, Lees Brook Academy became the first school in the city, and one of the first in the country, to put an end to the days of ‘dinner money’.
“I was catering manager at the time and the council wanted to trial a new cashless system with us,” explained Peggy. “So, we were the first in the city to go to a prepaid system for school meals.”
But while there has been a lot of change, there are some things which have stayed the same.
“The favourite meal to cook but also for the students I think was always a traditional meal, like a Sunday roast, and also fish and chips. Pudding wise it used to be a syrup pudding, but we don’t do those so much anymore.”
When Peggy things ahead to May 24 and her last day in the kitchen at Lees Brook Academy, she admits she swings from being really excited, to really anxious. It will mark the end of a routine of early starts and busy mornings.
“At the moment I start work at 8am but it used to be a 6.30am or 7am start when I was catering manager,” she said. “It will be a massive change not coming into the school.
But Peggy is also looking forward to her retirement, going on more holidays with her husband, and eating out at restaurants more.
“I must admit that after being in the kitchen all morning, I don’t really want to look at food when I get home and so it is a bit of a pain having to start thinking about what we’re going to eat at home when I get in from work. I probably will eat out more in restaurants I think!”
The catering team around Peggy said they will miss her in the kitchen and are all emotional about her retirement.
The team said: “Peggy has worked Lees Brook for 37 years and you could count on one hand her sick days. Between all the catering team we have worked between four and 22 years as a team. She was catering manager up until recently (always firm but fair) and since stepping down she now works alongside us and has become a very good friend. We are going to miss her very much but wish her the very best retirement. She deserves it.”
Head of Catering, David Hendry, said: “I have personally worked with Peggy for nearly three years and her support over this time has been invaluable to myself as I personally have never worked in education as a chef before. Her work ethic and attitude to do her best for all the students past and present is testament to what makes her a special lady.
“She more than deserves a long happy retirement and she will be sorely missed by myself and all the staff at Lees Brook.”
This story was written and shared on behalf of Archway Learning Trust by Kirsty Green. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
