Helensburgh Public School's canteen manager hangs up the apron

That’s why retiring canteen manager Bronwyn Charman couldn’t cut off all ties with the school on Friday.

‘’I have mixed feelings. I’m looking forward to retirement but I’m sad to be leaving a part of my family,’’ Mrs Charman said.

‘’They have been part of my family for 17 years. I’ve watched both my boys go through the school.

‘’Both my husband and myself were both students there, as were our parents and my grandmother as well, so I’ve got a long history with the school, nearly 110-years.’’

Mrs Charman has been involved with fundraising in the school P&C but she is most proud of her work bringing the ‘’canteen into the 21^st century’’.

She has done this by introducing online ordering and helping the school transition through repeated changes in canteen healthy eating requirements.

This has also involved introducing high quality home made hot meals including spaghetti bolognese, macaroni and cheese, quiches, fried rice and sausage rolls.

‘’We’ve increased our sales both manual and online and we are definitely moving to a healthier canteen in line with the new strategy,’’ Mrs Charman said.

‘’We are one of the first schools in the Illawarra to start the Fruit Break. I think they call it Crunch and Sit now. I’ve seen the transition from the old canteen to the new premises. So we’ve gone from a little old-style canteen to a beautiful modern facility.’’

Her next chapter will see Mrs Charman and husband Rod travel around Australia in their new motor home.

‘’I’m looking forward to the future but I will stay in contact with the school,’’ she said.

‘’I’ll definitely be around and volunteering when I’m back home. I can’t see myself cutting all ties with the school, at least not yet.’’