She seen as something of a local celebrity in her community.
And since dinner lady Gaynor Clegg was presented with her British Empire Medal children at the school she works in – plus those running local businesses – have been lining up to see her medal.
The popular 76-year-old has worked at Ravensthorpe Junior School for 44 years now and was awarded the BEM in the Queen’s New Year Honours for her services to education.
And sticking true to her Yorkshire roots she opted to pick up her medal at a ceremony at Bramham Park, near Wetherby, from Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire Dr Ingrid Roscoe. She attended the medal ceremony then enjoyed high tea with her husband Jeffrey and three children.
Mrs Clegg said: “I’m a Yorkshire lass and Yorkshire is where I wanted to get my medal. It was a beautiful day.”
She started as a lunchtime supervisor at the Myrtle Road school 44 years ago and has proven her worth over the years.
She runs the school tuck shop, once selling pop, sweets and crisps to the school’s children. They have now been replaced by a healthier options such as frozen yogurts and raisins and all proceeds are pumped back into school funds.
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“I’ve a long queue everyday at the tuck shop,” she said.
And while the children have wanted a glimpse of her medal, so too has the wider community. The local barbers shop even wants a photo of her with her medal for all to see.
Mrs Clegg described receiving the medal as an “honour” and said she had no plans to slow down, despite a recent knee operation.
“I love what I do, it’s such a lovely place to work and Ravensthorpe is a lovely place to live. I get on with everyone.”
Headteacher Sheldon Parkin first worked with her between 1993-2003 when he was a teacher. He returned a year ago as headteacher and was full of praise for Mrs Clegg.
He said: “She is such a presence in the school, she’s like a local celebrity, absolutely everyone in the school knows her but also in Ravensthorpe as well.
“She truly deserves this award, I can’t think of anyone who comes a close second.”
Her efforts in the school have helped raise more than £23,000 and Mr Parkin said it had really benefitted parents.
“We’ve had a new uniform and logo and her fundraising for the school meant we have been able to provide a certain number of free uniforms so it’s made a big difference to parents.”
Mrs Clegg attended the medal ceremony with her children Darren and Dean and daughter Dawn. All three are former pupils at Ravensthorpe school and Darren and Dean are now headteachers. Dawn is a staff nurse at the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice in Huddersfield.
