A much-loved dinner lady who has looked after thousands of children has retired after 44 years in the role.

Brenda Willis has patrolled the playground at Chilham St Mary’s Primary School since 1981, but stepped away at the end of term this month.

While dinner break duties have been her bread and butter, the 81-year-old has also helped out in the canteen, taught netball, reading and cooking, as well as volunteering at countless school events.

Brenda, who herself had children at the school, says she fell into the job after being “ordered” to by the school’s then-secretary, an old friend of hers.

“She just told me: ‘You will come,’“ Brenda quipped.

“Not, ‘Would you like to? But ‘You will.’

“So I started doing the packed lunches.”

Recalling the decades spent at the primary in School Hill, she added: “They're all happy memories though, aren't they?

“It's no good working at a school if you don't love children.

“You've got to be able to see the good and the bad in the children and on the whole, they’re easy enough.”

Brenda’s family has told her they do not want her to leave the job, where she spent half her time supporting children eating and half helping to supervise the playground.

But although she cherished the job, Brenda admitted sacrificing a significant portion of each school day could, occasionally, get in the way of life.

“There are odd things that you'd like to do and you've got to stop in the morning to come to school,” shared Brenda.

“I've plenty of praise for this school, I think it's a good school, but I can’t work forever.”

It is a life which has seen Brenda become a central figure to children in the village, with generations of youngsters coming to know and love her.

With 88 pupils on the school roll, it is likely thousands of kids have grown up with Mrs Willis in the playground – including current staff member Samantha Saunders.

As a retirement gift, she was given the prestigious task of judging the school talent show on Thursday (April 3).

Brenda says the duty as a whole has changed massively since she first walked through the gates 44 years ago.

“I think the responsibility has changed. When I first started, I mean, there was no me blowing a whistle or anything,” said Brenda.

“There weren't the rules and regulations, not when I started. Safeguarding wasn’t as it is now.”

She now hopes to be able to spend more time in the garden, and jokes her family have organised a rota to take her on days out and keep her busy.

School head Rebecca Dolan said: “Brenda has been an invaluable dinner lady here for 44 years and the children and staff absolutely adore her.

“She will be sorely missed and we know she will come back and visit us on a regular basis.”