Dinner lady served up with surprise after 50 years in job
ONE of Britain's longestserving dinner ladies has no plans to hang up her apron after 50 years in the job – and more than 1.7 million meals.
Rosemary Stokes, 73, started working in school kitchens in 1974.
Fast forward half a century and she is still keeping children fed – now at St Thomas More Primary in Birmingham.
She joined the school in 1985 after spending 11 years at nearby Lyndon Green Infant School.
The lead catering supervisor estimates she has served 180 dinners a day over the last five decades.
Staff and pupils at St Thomas More surprised Ms Stokes with flowers, chocolate and a cake on her anniversary.
“It was just fabulous,” the great-grandmother said .
“I’d been invited to the school assembly as they were doing a pancake assembly.
“So of course when I went in and was given a seat but all of sudden I looked to the right and saw my boss and I was confused.
“T hen I looked to the right and there were my two daughters and my friends and after that, a p hotograph popped on the screen at the front of the hall and I thought ‘ they’ve go t me!”
Ms Stokes added: “They presented me with flowers, chocolate, a cake and a speech from the headmaster.
“I think I did a speech so it was a bit of a blur!
“Some of the children told me how much they loved the dinners, which was lovely.”
Ms Stokes , who works at the school for Birmingham Council, said the reason sh e has s tayed in the job for so long is because of the “love” she has for it.
She adde d: “I just think it’s the variety and the different things you go through.
“Everything changes and I love seeing the children come along and try different things and that's so rewarding.
“We change the dishes quite regularly and they just try different things.
“I go to work and every day I love it.”