A SCHOOL dinner lady who has cooked for three generations of Longford families is retiring after nearly 40 years in the kitchen.

Christine Daniels, 63, began working as a kitchen assistant at Meadowside Primary School in 1978 when it was named Long Lane Primary.

She worked her way up to the role of catering supervisor and has seen six head teachers come and go at the school.

She said: “It will break my heart to go but I’m doing it so I can spend more time with my family.

“I have seen three generations of children come through this school and I love the kids here.”

Christine grew up in Bank Quay and went to school at English Martyr’s before starting work at Armitage and Rigby's mill.

She took up the role at Meadowside when her two children were born and now she has six grandchildren, one of whom also works at the school as a teaching assistant.

She said: “There’s that much I’m going to miss but mostly I just like the involvement with the children’s lives.

“They come up to me in the canteen and chat, they tell me about their holidays.

“I enjoy reading with them and when they get through to year six and they are ready to leave. They are very respectful.

“There’s a former pupil who won’t let me walk past without a hug whenever I see her out and about.

“Everybody here has been happy, I just think it’s a happy school and I love it here. Lots of things have changed – when I started it was just pencils and pens and now there’s technology everywhere.

“After Jamie Oliver’s campaign the food is fresher now and the children have a choice.”

Christine is a governor at the school and says she will keep in touch with the staff and pupils.

Head teacher Stuart Wright said: “Christine has been an institution at the school and everybody’s going to miss her, most importantly the children.

“She’s was extremely welcoming to me when I started and she is welcome back anytime.”

Christine said she is looking forward to taking more holidays with her husband, Mike, and will be celebrating her retirement with a trip to Majorca.