A 'MOTHER to all' was how one woman has been described as staff at the school she works prepare for her retirement.

Kitchen manger Angela Hoodless, of Solway Community School, Silloth, has just baked her last batch of hot-crossed buns.

Dedicated to her role, she know every child by their name and their favourite meal.

For the past 37 years, she has cooked for the community and for schools, she has regularly made the meals for members of the community to enjoy at Christmas.

Since 1984, she has worked non-stop in the kitchen.

This past year has been tough as the usual meals she hosts have not been able to go ahead. Staff at the school and the community have missed some of the wonderful meals she hosts.

Steph Thorp, deputy head at the school, will miss her terribly. She said: “She is fantastic.

“She bends over backwards for the children and knows them all my name. We have some children who will only eat certain food a particular way and it is no trouble to her.

“This year it is the last time she would be making her famous hot-cross buns so the staff all clubbed together to get our orders in and she made more than 100.

“We’re all gutted she is retiring and it is such a shame Covid has robbed her of a fantastic final year.

“She is a mother figure to everyone and we will all miss her.”

When July comes, she will have served 37 years feeding the children. Last week she made her final batch of hot-cross buns ahead of the Easter break, breaking all her previous records by baking ten-dozen buns to fulfill orders for the staff and community.

Steph added: “Angela has gone above and beyond in her role as kitchen manager and over the years has won awards.

“She has produced cook books to raise funds for the school and is a much-loved member of the Solway Team.

“She will be a great miss when she retires in July to all the students and staff.”