Popular Derry catering supervisor retires after 37 years service

An extremely popular presence in the St Brigid’s College canteen for many years, Derry’s Caroline Logan has retired as an area catering supervisor after 37 years.

At a truly surprise party in the Waterfoot to mark the occasion, Caroline said was delighted many of her former and current colleagues turned up to wish her all the best.

Speaking to Derry News, Caroline said it seemed like only the “blink of an eye” since she graduated from Ulster University, Jordanstown, with a BA in Catering Administration in July 1986.

Caroline with her family at her retirement function in the Waterfoot Hotel.

Smiling, Caroline recalled beginning her career as a supervisor in St Brigid’s  Primary School in the Carnhill area of the city, the following month. 

“After that I went to St Brigid’s College where I stayed for 16 years. 

“Then I became an area catering supervisor covering the whole area. If a new catering supervisor was starting, I would have gone in and trained them or if courses needed to be done, I would have organised them. No two days were the same.

“If a new school was opening, I would have gone in and organised the canteen side of things. 

“I would also have organised functions and official openings. And, if someone was off sick, I would have gone into a school and covered.”

Caroline’s geographical area of responsibility took in Derry as far as Limavady and Dungiven.

“At times I would have covered as far as Strabane,” she laughed. “My office was the district office in Foyle Street, above the library, where the craic was great.

“I really loved my job. I liked the people I worked with and I liked the young people. I met so many people from all the different areas I’d have worked.

“If a school was being refurbished, I would have been responsible for going in and sorting out the whole canteen side of things. 

“I remember well St Cecilia’s College closing in Bligh’s Lane and moving to the Templemore site on Northland Road and then moving back to the new building in Bligh’s Lane again. 

“I would have been involved in all of that moving and sorting out staff, packing the place up and unpacking it again.

“I would have opened other schools too including, The Model School, Rossmar a couple of years ago, and Drumachose, a whole lot of schools. I am leaving happy that they are continuing on the service.

“What I loved most would have been opening schools. I’d also have got great job satisfaction from starting a new supervisor, seeing them progressing on their own and staying in a school for years,” said Caroline, who paid warm tribute to her area manager Carmel Campbell saying, “I worked with Carmel for 20 years and we got on great”.

Totally taken aback by her surprise do, Caroline said she was touched that so many people she worked with over the years had come along to wish her well.

“I just thought I was meeting up with a few friends,” said a modest Caroline, “but when I got there, there were people I had worked with down the years who had previously retired, who came back for the day. I was really, really touched by that.”

Caroline is now looking forward to spending more time with her grandchildren.

“I have seven grandchildren and another one on the way. I am also looking forward to having more holidays.”