School is saying goodbye to 'wonderful' cleaner Margaret

Mercer’s Wood Academy has been part of Margaret’s life for many years.

Her seven children and 16 grandchildren have attended the school.

Margaret also has 16 great grandchildren, with another on the way and two of those great grandchildren will be starting school at Castle Wood Academy in September.

Margaret’s adores her family and is very proud of their achievements. One granddaughter will soon hold a doctorate.

She said: “My family mean everything to me and I love it when they all come round for dinner or just a visit.

“Christmas Day is very busy.”

When asked what the rewards of her job have been for all these years Margaret said: “I love working with the children.

“I love to see them arrive for Breakfast Club, looking fresh and ready for another day in school.

“It also makes me smile when the parents of the children also know me as they also came to this school when they were children.”

Over the years Margaret has cleaned but also played a very active part in school life:

She said: “I have done lots of things in school over the years, not just cleaning.

“I have run Knitting Clubs where I taught children to knit.

“ I have helped out at any of the fundraising events over the years, including Christmas and Summer fairs, sports day and serving refreshments to parents while they are waiting to see their child’s class teacher on Parents Evening.

“It is strange how many things have changed over the years, but school life remains a constant.

“I also water all the plants around school and help out if anybody needs an extra pair of hands.

“When I retire I am already planning to come into school to listen to children read, help out with events and I might even start my knitting club again.

“I love the children and can’t imagine not coming in and seeing what they are all doing.”

Margaret has had a very long and interesting life to date, with the best yet to come.

She said: “I worked in the fields when my children were little.

“I have also cleaned Marshalls offices when that was open and I served in Woolworths in Gainsborough for years.

“I worked there right up until it closed down.

“Just because I am retiring it doesn’t mean I am going to slow down.”

Her plans for retirement include continuing to see the world on cruises with her family and already has plans to visit St Petersburg and Cadiz, Spain.

She said: “I love my cruises, I have lost count on how many I have been on over the years.

“I always go on the same boat so I have got to know some of the crew well over the years.

“There are still lots of places I want to visit so my retirement won’t be dull.

“I also like knitting for my family.

“I have already been knitting ready for next Christmas so that my grandchildren and great grandchildren have new jumpers.”

Vicky Isherwood has worked with Margaret as a cleaner.

She said: “I will miss working with Margaret, particularly during the summer cleans when Margaret would love to get stuck in with the floor buffer.

“I recall a trainer visiting once to show all the cleaners how to use a particular cleaning machine; Margaret knew what to do more than the trainer and made sure that he knew that.”