Dinner lady marks 40th year working at same Kirk Hallam school

She was only meant to provide cover for one week as a school dinner lady – but Pat Limb stayed and is still working there 40 years on.

Ms Limb started at St John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy, Kirk Hallam, Derbyshire, in 1985 – and has served up dishes of food to multiple generations of families.

To mark her 40 years of service, staff presented her with a freshly baked large Manchester tart – once a traditional school dinner dessert on the menu.

Ms Limb said working at the school was “brilliant”, adding: “The people are lovely, the kids are brilliant. It is just like one big family, really.”

On Friday, she was presented with the Manchester tart after Stacey’s Bakery, in Ilkeston, heard about her love for the coconut-topped fruit and custard creation and baked one especially.

After starting at the school on 19 February 1985, Ms Limb is now a midday supervisor and works in the school office.

“Things have changed a lot; years ago we didn’t have the cafe that we have now,” she says.

“Children’s dinners were like a proper sit-down meal, and the food was very traditional. They would eat what they were given.”

She added: “I remember lots of members of staff when they came here as pupils and lots of the children’s parents, even a grandparent.”

Head teacher Steve Brogan said: “The thing I have been thinking about is how many children’s lives Pat must have been involved with, must have touched.

“Anybody who does 40 years in one place of work is tremendous.”

He added: “We recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of our school, and it is amazing to think that Pat has worked in our school for two-thirds of the time our school has been open.

“She has been an incredible servant to our school, and we are so lucky to have people like Pat who serve our school and our students with such dedication and commitment.”