Retiring teacher looks back on golden days
AMUCH-LOVED employee is retiring this summer after racking up a “remarkable” 50 years of service at her primary school.
Holy Trinity CE Stacksteads teaching assistant Lynn Heath is one of the longest serving teachers in Lancashire.
Lynn, 74, began at the old Tunstead school after her three-year-old son entered nursery, and, as she puts it “I’ve been here ever since!”
Approaching 2,000 children will have passed through Lynn’s care over the course of her career.
She was already an experienced staff member when Tunstead merged with Western School to form the new Holy Trinity back in 1986, and she admits “everything has changed” during her career.
“I’m seeing parents and grandparents who I taught!”, she told the Free Press.
“I’ve really enjoyed it; it’s been my life.
“That’s what I’ve done, but now it’s the time to retire. It’s surreal. I feel like it’s not happening to me after 50 years of working here all my life.”
Lynn, who lives locally in Stacksteads, enjoyed a leaving party at Bacup Golf Club on July 15, ahead of her very last day on July 22. But, asked if she was looking forward to putting her feet up for a well-earned retirement, she said she would be doing voluntary work instead.
Headteacher John
Aspin said it was hard to imagine anyone ever equalling her longevity.
“For anyone to complete 50 years in any job is a great feat, but to devote half a century to the children
of Stacksteads as a teaching assistant, as Lynn has done, is a truly remarkable achievement,” he said.
“It will be very strange to go into the Early Years
Foundation Stage in September and not see her surrounded by nursery and reception children.
“She has been central to the school’s development over the years and has
played her full part in establishing this school as a great place for children to learn, and for its successes. She leaves with my heartfelt thanks and admiration for what she
has done for the school.
“Lynn knows that she has an open invitation to spend time in the school when she retires, and we look forward to seeing her soon.”