A cleaner who's hanging up her hoover for the final time at her old primary says she feels like she never left school.
With a combined 42 years of working and learning at St Sophia's Primary, Margaret McVie is finally leaving school with many happy memories.
Margaret, 66, is a long serving member of staff and a former school pupil. She went to the Galston school in 1966, aged six years old under headteacher Mr Boylan and returned to the school in 1998 to take the role of cleaner with then headteacher, Mrs Hollingsworth.
Reflecting on 35 years of work at the school, Margaret said: “I feel like I never left school. A lot of children would say to me that their mum knows me, as they went to school with me. It is quite good when I see people I have known for so many years.
“When I first started this job, all the teachers I knew left at that point but I build a good relationship with new staff and headteacher Mrs Hearon. She is a great headteacher and turned the school around.
“This school had three or four headteachers and it was good to see how it changed and now has so many pupils compared to when I went here as a child."
Margaret had her last day at school on Friday, March 3 and was surprised by a farewell party.
She said: “The school gave me a nice farewell, I just thought we are going to take a few photos for memories but they ended up preparing so much for me.
"There was cake, flowers, balloons and cards. I am so thankful that I was able to make so many friends throughout the years. It was a pleasure to work here and I will miss everyone."
She continued: “It is hard to name one good memory as it was just a happy place for me.
“It will take me a while to adjust as I am so used to this routine and I am so used to coming to school for the last 35 years. It will be very different now but I am looking forward to retirement as I have been working for a long time."
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