Sue is set to retire from Mercer's Wood Academy after 21 years

A cleaner who has been at a Gainsborough school for 21 years is set to retire this month.
Sue ColdronSue Coldron
Sue Coldron

Sue Coldron is retiring from Mercer’s Wood Academy alongside her husband, Kevin Coldron

Sue said: “I have cleaned at Mercer’s Wood Academy for 19 years, although have actually worked within the school for 21 years.

“I started as a classroom assistant and then one day I was asked to cover sick leave and I never stopped.”

Sue says she loves the school environment.

She said: “The staff at school are all wonderful and friendly.

“There is such a good team spirit.

“I have worked with Vicky Isherwood and Margeret Bean for a long time and we have formed a really good working relationship and friendship over the years.

“I will miss everybody so much when I retire.”

Sue says the biggest challenge she faces in her role is glitter.

She said: “It gets everywhere.

“I would like to say there is only glitter in school in the run up to Christmas, but these days it seems to be part of every day school life and it gets everywhere.

“It is also a challenge not to break things during the summer deep clean, which is when we come into school during the summer break and clean the whole school from top to bottom so that the children return to a gleaming school in September.

“I have had a few breakages over the years. I once broke a toilet, I knocked it over with the buffing machine.

“The caretaker, who is my husband, was not impressed.”

Sue says the biggest reward is seeing the children go through school, watching them progress as they go through secondary education and beyond and then watching them as they grow into adults and start their careers.

She said: “There are children in school now whose parents were pupils at the school when I first started here.

“That can be strange, particularly when they attend parents evening and they are still calling me Miss.”

Sue said she actually wanted to be a teacher when she was younger but was talked out of it by the Careers Teacher .

She said: They said that there wouldn’t be a need for teachers in the future and that I needed to think of a different career.

“By the time the opportunities started to arise I had met my husband and started a family and the rest is history.”

Sue says her biggest achievement has been bringing up her daughters, watching them go through university and move on to successful careers.

Sue has two granddaughters, Amelia, aged three, and Esme, aged two.

She said: “They bring us all so much happiness and keep me on my toes.

“I am looking forward to spending more time with them all when I retire.”

Sue has always lived in Gainsborough.

She said: “Initially I went to Heapham Road Primary School, moving to White’s Wood Lane Junior School and then to Charles Baines Primary School.”

Sue says she has had a few interesting jobs over the years.

She said: “I used to make bras and also worked in a bookies in town.”

When she retires Sue want to see more of the world.

She said: “I would love to go to the Caribbean and have always wanted to go to Dubai and stay in the desert in a tent.

“I am looking forward to spending time with my daughters and their families and, as my husband is retiring at the same, I am looking forward to spending time with him too.”

“We like to go walking so we will be able to do more of that as well as visiting heritage sites.”

If you live in the Gainsborough area and have an interesting story to tell, or know someone who does, email [email protected].