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A midday supervisor received a special surprise as part of celebrations held to mark 40 years of working at Saint John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy.
Pat Limb was presented with a Manchester Tart, a dessert which she loves and remembers from her early days in the dinner hall but is no longer on the menu at the Kirk Hallam school.
Ilkeston-based Stacey’s Bakery heard about Pat’s love of Manchester Tart and made one especially for her.
David Stacey, Managing Director at Stacey’s Bakery, said: “Manchester Tart isn’t something we currently make at Stacey’s, but we were happy to have a go for Pat. 40 years as a dinner lady is quite something! The taste testing in the bakery was very positive so it’s a bake we might add to our repertoire.”
Pat initially joined Saint John Houghton to provide a week of cover for a staff member who was off ill but 40 years on she is still at the school, in Abbot Road.
She said: “The lady who was off sick never came back and I became a supervisor and then a senior supervisor. I had to do the rotas and deal with any problems and I was always in the dining hall when the children were eating.
“I’m still a midday supervisor now and I also work in the school office a bit too. Things have changed a lot, years ago we didn’t have the café that we have now. Children’s dinners were like a proper sit down meal and the food was very traditional. They would eat what they were given.
“I loved Manchester Tart, that was a nice dessert. They always used to save me a slab of that when we had a roast dinner. It was so lovely of Stacey’s Bakery to make one for me, it was delicious and brought back lots of good memories.”
Pat has seen generations of Ilkeston families go through Saint John Houghton and was a midday supervisor when lots of current staff attended the school.
She said: “I remember lots of members of staff when they came here as pupils and lots of the children’s parents, even a grandparent. I was a midday supervisor when she came here.
“Sometimes when there used to be anyone misbehaving the other supervisors would tell the children ‘I’m sending for Pat’. I remember one child who went to the front of the dinner queue and I told him to go to the back. Years later I went into a bar in Ilkeston and he was in there and he shouted ‘Get to the back Pat’.
Memories that Pat recounts include a fire at the school in 1995 and an eight-hour sponsored walk from Saint John Houghton to The Briars, a Catholic youth retreat centre in Crich.
She said: “We had a fire at school in 1995 at night and it was quite bad. I organised a charity evening at a local social club and we raised £4,000 to replace lecterns on the stage in the hall that were burned.”
Pat said she can’t believe that 40 years has passed so quickly and has no plans to retire any time soon.
She said: “I keep thinking, where has the time gone? This school is like a family and everyone is so friendly, sometimes it feels like I’ll be here until I’m 90!”
Steve Brogan, Headteacher, said: “We are so pleased and proud to celebrate Pat’s 40 years with us as a school and during that time, she has served in a number of roles with us. There are very few of us, especially in 2025 who will serve one single place of work for that amount of time, but that is exactly what Pat has achieved.
“We recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of our school and it is amazing to think that Pat has worked in our school for two-thirds of the time our school has been opened. She has been an incredible servant to our school, and we are so lucky to have people like Pat who serve our school and our students with such dedication and commitment.”
Pictured left to right: Sarah from Stacey’s Bakery with Pat and the Manchester Tart.
A teenager has won an award after putting her first aid skills into practice to help a teammate who collapsed while on a Duke of Edinburgh scheme expedition.
Bethan Jenkins, 16, a student at Blessed Robert Sutton Catholic Voluntary Academy in Burton, was with five fellow police cadets in Bakewell when one of them collapsed.
The group was aiming to achieve the DofE Bronze award, part of which requires participants to complete an unaccompanied expedition in the countryside following a series of training sessions. Leaders are on hand via mobile phones in case of emergencies.
During the expedition, one of the six girls started to feel unwell before dropping to the floor and falling unconscious. Her teammates then used first aid skills they had learnt during their police cadet training, including first aid and rehearsing protocols for emergencies.
Bethan said: “Our friend who collapsed had a bag on her back so we took that off her, we made sure her head was raised and we checked her pulse which felt like it was racing. We tried to help her gain consciousness by splashing water on her. She was burning up but she was also freezing and her lips were turning blue. We lay a jacket on her. I kept thinking of the worst that could happen and running through what we needed to do, so thinking about whether we might end up having to do CPR. Some members of our group were also very upset.
“We tried to bring her around but then when we realised she wasn’t getting any better we got our phones, which are usually locked away in our bags as we are on a DofE expedition. One of the girls called our leader to tell them what had happened. We had to go an app that tells you where you are because we were a bit lost. The mountain rescue team came out and we were taken to our camp and the girl who collapsed was taken to hospital by air ambulance. She was ok, it was something to do with her heart and she was undergoing more tests. I think we did quite well coping with what happened.”
The girls made the decision to continue with the expedition the next day and gained their Bronze Award. As well as the expedition, participants also have to complete fitness, volunteering and skills tasks.
The group’s fast actions have now been recognised as they received a DofE All Stars of the Year Award at Buckingham Palace.
Bethan said: “I was completely shocked when I found out we would be getting an award. We were excited when we found out we would be going to Buckingham Palace and that was nice, we got a certificate.”
Amanda Mcdowall, Head of Year 11 at Blessed Robert Sutton, said: “ I am so proud to have Beth in our year group. She is an amazing young lady and a real asset to our school community. It is no surprise that she acted as quickly and as bravely as she did as Beth has always shown great initiative. I know that she is going to go on and be extremely successful and continue to have such a positive impact on the community and those around her.”
Samuel Gray, Headteacher at Blessed Robert Sutton, said: “Taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh award is a challenge that is worth celebrating. What Bethan and her friends did is even more impressive, using their skills and initiative to help a friend in need. Everyone at Blessed Robert Sutton is incredibly proud of Bethan and everyone else involved.”
A Derby primary school has installed an emergency allergy protection kit to support pupils and staff.
The kit, produced by Kitt Medical, contains two junior adrenaline pens – EpiPens – and two adult EpiPens and has been installed at St Alban’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Chaddesden.
All staff have been trained on how to use the kit. Three members of staff at St Alban’s have a severe allergy, including Headteacher Tim Brogan who is allergic to nuts.
He said: “Twenty per cent of our staff body have an allergy and we have a number of pupils with allergies. They have their own EpiPens and care plans in school so the kit is designed to be a failsafe. We do have a number of events that parents attend and visitors who come into school and obviously we don’t know whether they have allergies or not. So it’s about the allergies which are known and those that are unknown and this kit will allow us to respond at pace if we need to.
“We’ve installed it close to our school hall where children eat their dinner. Setting up the kit and the training, which is online, has been really simple. All of our staff have been trained to use the kit, we know that every member of staff can support if required. I can see these kits becoming like defibrillators.”
St Alban’s will receive a yearly supply of adrenaline pens to be stored in the accessible wall mounted emergency ‘Kitt’. All staff also get access to Kitt’s online CPD accredited training course, to help increase awareness of allergic conditions and preparedness to treat anaphylaxis.
Since launching in January 2023, Kitt Medical has partnered with 550 schools, with 700 Kitts in schools, and 15,000 staff members trained.
Zak Marks, co-founder and CEO of Kitt Medical, said: “I’ve lived with severe allergies for as long as I can remember and have always found it to be a burden. Whether it’s not knowing where/what I can eat, being scared I could have an allergic reaction, or just always having to carry two adrenaline pens on me at all times, it unfortunately creates a daily inconvenience – one which I wanted to try and solve. I’m so excited that we’re now creating a new standard for allergy care with schools and academies across the UK.”
Anaphlaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction. It can occur within seconds or minutes after exposure to an allergen, such as certain foods or insect stings. During anaphylaxis, the immune system releases chemicals that can cause the body to go into shock, leading to symptoms like swelling, hives, and difficulty breathing. Immediate treatment with an epinephrine injector is crucial.
EpiPens work by rapidly injecting a dose of epipinephrine (also called adrenaline), which reverses the effects of anaphylaxis.
Headteacher Tim Brogan with pupils, showing them the emergency allergy protection kit that has been installed at St Alban’s.
An upcoming band delivered an important mental health message to pupils at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy in Buxton.
Absnt Mind performed for the whole school and discussed their own journeys through school and how young people should not be afraid to talk about how they feel.
Kerry Taylor, Head of Learning for Year 7 and 8, organised the band’s performance at St Thomas More.
She said: “Having Absnt Mind come and perform was a wonderful and enriching experience for our students. The band were very talented, the students loved their music and the staff too!
“As well as performing, the band took time to discuss their own journeys through school and delivered the message that it’s OK to be your authentic self, work hard – put the games down and get to bed and talk to people if you feel something is not quite right. Hearing young boys willingly discuss mental health and the importance of sharing worries was great to combat some of the significant issues with teenagers today. It was wonderful to be able to arrange something that all of our students could experience and gain so much from.
“For our students to be able to see young people working hard to achieve their dreams and see that success isn’t something that happens overnight will be something that will inspire them beyond their years with us at school.
“The band were a great example for our students, to aspire to be more for our world, using their talent to spread important messages to our young people. I’d like to thank our fantastic PTA, FOSTM, who volunteer so much of their time to raise money and provide opportunities such as this one for our school and students. “
Iris, in Year 7, said: “I really enjoyed the music, the cover of I love you, I’m sorry by Gracie Abrams especially – and the message it carried. I think that their talk was extremely moving and could give a lot of confidence to people in high school especially. I would love to see their performance again.”
Cleona, in Year 10, said: “I enjoyed having Absnt Mind in school. I loved seeing how talented they were and knowing they were only a couple of years older than us makes you feel like we could be part of a band like them when we are older. They gave us positive, inspiring messages and hearing them talk about their own experiences in life when they were younger and what they regret, really gets you thinking. They sang really well and had a good variety of songs plus they sang some covers.”
Logan, in Year 8, said: “They were very cool, brilliant and fantastic. Their music brightened my day and I loved the messages.”
David Redfern, Headteacher at St Thomas More, said: “We were thrilled to welcome Absnt Mind to our school. Their talent, energy, and openness provided an inspiring experience for our students, not only through their music but also their heartfelt message about mental health and resilience. At St Thomas More, we believe in fostering a supportive environment where students feel encouraged to be authentic, work hard, and reach out for help when they need it. The band’s visit reinforced these values beautifully, and we are immensely grateful for their time and efforts to make a lasting impact on our school community.”
Every pupil at Saint Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy sent a birthday card to a 103-year-old following a public appeal.
More than 120 cards were taken by a group of pupils from the school, in New Mills, to Watford Care Home resident Mabel White. The school also recorded all pupils singing happy birthday to Mabel.
Following a public appeal on Facebook and the Buxton Advertiser, Mabel received over 1,700 cards from countries across the world, including the cards from Saint Mary’s.
Pupil Alfie said: “We were told in assembly about Mabel and that she was a 103-year-old who didn’t have any family and that she would like some birthday cards so we all made one and took them to her at the care home.”
“It made feel happy that we were helping Mabel and hopefully we made her feel happy too. We all felt a bit sad when we were told that she didn’t have any family and might not get any birthday cards,” pupil Eva said.
Pupil Lexie said: “We are always thinking about Catholic Social Teaching principles and that means helping charities and helping the homeless so helping those in need.
“We all recorded a happy birthday message for Mabel so that came from the whole school and then some of us brought the cards and flowers to the care home.
“This links to one of our Catholic Social Teaching principles about family and community. That is because Mabel doesn’t have any family and we wanted to show her that she is part of a bigger family.”
Patricia Chapman, Headteacher at Saint Mary’s CVA, said: “It was an absolute pleasure to be part of this wonderful occasion. We are part of a family and a community and as a Catholic school we continually strive to help others. We always support those most in need and instill in all our pupils the right to respect human dignity. This may only be a small act of kindness, but it means a lot to Mabel and our pupils.”
Twelve pupils from St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy will have their poems published in a book that will be sold across the UK.
Forty-six pupils from Years 7 to 9 at the Buxton school entered the Young Writers’ Poetry Competition ‘Be Real in a Fake World’ and 12 pupils had their work selected for publication.
Amy Shaw, Head of English at St Thomas More, said she was thrilled that so many pupils entered the competition and that 12 will have their work published.
She said: “We promoted the competition in lessons and offered to support pupils with their application. We’ve had a lot of in-house competitions previously but this is the first national one that we’ve entered. We had over 46 applications which was great and it’s fantastic to have 12 students selected to have their work published along with other children from across the country. A copy of the book will be in the British Library and the book will be available to buy.
“We are very proud of the pupils and we had a party to celebrate the winners. We try to do a lot to support pupils throughout the year, we are a busy department.”
Year 7 pupils Rhea and Faith were among the 12 pupils who had their work selected for publication.
Faith said: “I didn’t think I would be selected. I think we were both quite shocked when we found out that we had won, it was a bit overwhelming but in a good way.”
Rhea said: “My poem was about being you is enough. It’s exciting to think that our work will be published in a book; it’s something that I’ve always dreamed of.”
The school is now encouraging pupils to enter another Young Writers competition; to write a short story of no more than 100 words. The school also held a Harry Potter day in December and in January pupils will also be encouraged to take part in a Poetry by Heart competition, learning poetry and reciting it in front of an audience.
David Redfern, Headteacher said: “We are incredibly proud of our students’ achievements in this national competition. Their success reflects the creativity, hard work, and passion for writing that we strive to nurture here at St Thomas More. Seeing their poems published is a wonderful recognition of their talent and dedication.”
Top photo: Some of the pupils celebrating their success.
Bottom photo: A pupil whose work will be published in the book.
Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy has been graded Good overall in its latest Catholic Schools Inspectorate (CSI) inspection.
Catholic life and mission, religious education and collective worship were all graded Good by inspectors following their visit in November 2024.
Headteacher Hazel Boyce said: “We are absolutely delighted with the outcome of our CSI. Having the quality of provision for Catholic Life and Mission and the leadership of Religious Education recognised as being outstanding is wonderful. Our pupils thrive here at Saint Benedict as a result of our school values and the dedication of staff and the CSI report captures this beautifully.”
Inspectors said that the Catholic life and mission of Saint Benedict CVA, in Derby, was known and lived through the school’s values of love, knowledge, integrity and belief.
“Students at Saint Benedict thrive within a strong community ethos and actively embrace the school’s identity in its everyday actions. The values of love, integrity and knowledge are embedded in school culture, shaping the character and development of every student and guiding daily interactions, which support the holistic growth of every student,” the report said.
Inspectors added: “Every student is made to feel valued and that they fully belong within the school through its truly inclusive nature. This forms the basis of the excellent pastoral care and dedication shown by leaders, teachers and support staff.”
The strong culture of diversity was highlighted by inspectors who said: “Leaders have the importance of community at the heart of their decision making and inclusion is considered in all areas of school.”
Leadership in religious education was described as “reflective and proactive” in seeking interventions to help all students flourish. Inspectors praised governors, saying they are highly skilled and actively engaged in the whole life of the school.
Inspectors said that a “profound sense of community” was evident within the school, reflected in the quality of relationships throughout.
“This supportive and loving environment embodies an unwavering commitment to uplifting the most vulnerable members of the school community. Pastoral care at Saint Benedict is exemplary and stands as a cornerstone of the school’s identity,” inspectors said.
Staff at all levels demonstrate exceptional dedication, consistently going above and beyond to nurture and care for their students, with a particular focus on those who are most vulnerable, according to the report.
A teacher and pupil who were at Saint John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy on its opening day joined current staff and students to celebrate the school’s 60th anniversary.
Susan Skinner was a pupil at the Ilkeston school on the day it opened its doors in Abbot Road in 1965. She was in a class taught by Paul Booth and both Susan and Paul returned to Saint John Houghton for a day of Jubilee celebrations.
Paul was joined by other ex-pupils and staff for a question and answer session with current pupils and this was followed by Mass which was celebrated by the Bishop of Nottingham, Patrick McKinney.
Three former Headteachers at the school also attended Mass, including Bernard Monaghan, Joan McCarthy and Terry Murphy.
Ex-pupil Kieran Armstrong, 66, attended Saint John Houghton between 1969 and 1974.
He said: “The school was great when I was a pupil. It’s strange to come back; it’s 50 years since I was a pupil here.
“Both of my children came here and my grandchildren will probably come here too. We do have a group of about a dozen ex-pupils who keep in touch and meet up. It’s great to see my old woodwork teacher, Mr Booth, after I had left school I ended up fitting his kitchen for him!”
Mr Booth worked at Saint John Houghton from 1965 to 1996. He started as a Design and Technology teacher before becoming Head of Lower School and finally he was Deputy Headteacher before he retired.
He said: “I remember when I was here we had three sittings for lunch which took 90 minutes. There was no café and it was all table service.
“We have a bit of a strange anniversary with it being in January because the school wasn’t ready to open in the September of 1964 because it wasn’t finished.”
Susan was one of his first pupils, she said: “I was here when the school first opened in 1965 and I left in 1967 when I was 15. I remember the uniform we had to wear; we wore straw boaters in the summer and hats in the winter. My dad was also a caretaker at the school. Strangely I found out about the Jubilee celebrations from my sister in Australia who had seen it on an app. It’s been lovely to see Mr Booth again, he was quite firm and strict but teachers were in those days.”
Steve Brogan, Headteacher at Saint John Houghton, said: “We were so proud to celebrate 60 years of Catholic education in Ilkeston and the surrounding areas 60 years after students walked through the doors of our school for the very first time. We had a wonderful day in school and we were joined by several members of the local community who were here on that very first day. We were also joined by Bishop Patrick, who led us in our celebration of the Holy Mass. Huge thanks to all of our students and staff for their efforts in making the day such a special celebration. I feel so blessed and honoured to be the Headteacher of this terrific school.”
Bishop Patrick McKinney celebrates Mass (1), current Headteacher Steve Brogan with former Headteachers Bernard Monaghan, Joan McCarthy and Terry Murphy (2), Susan Skinner and Paul Booth (3).
An ex-student at Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy returned to talk to students about being a production assistant on the new blockbuster film Wicked.
Neil Lwanga, 32, left Saint Benedict, in Derby, in 2012 after studying A-levels in Media, IT, Drama and Sociology.
He was invited back to talk to Performing Arts and Media students about his career which has seen him work in production on The Landscapers, starring Olivia Coleman and films including The Marvels and Wicked.
After school Neil went on to study at the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham but then he struggled to find work, picking up jobs in call centres and sales.
In 2020 he gained a place at MAMA Youth Project, a four-month training programme for people from under-represented backgrounds to gain the skills and opportunities for work in the film and TV industry.
A key part of the training was to produce a magazine show for Sky Arts. Neil’s role was to research and pitch guests to producers and during that time he managed to book social media influencer, boxer and musician, KSI.
Once he completed the MAMA Youth project, he became part of their alumni and had a number of calls with production companies about potential opportunities. A month later, he received his first job was as a runner on a HBO series called The Landscapers, starring Olivia Coleman.
After Landscapers he worked on the Marvels as a Set PA trainee in the Assistant Director’s department, after that he went onto do a variety of Floor Runner jobs on various productions from ITV, Apple and Netflix.
In 2022 he received a call to work as a Set PA on Wicked, with the same team from the Marvels, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
A Floor Runner / Set PA’s roles are interchangeable; Set PA is a common term on big budget productions. They are responsible for managing the cast, co-ordinating transport, liaising between departments and resolving any issues.
Neil talked to students about what happened when he got the call for Wicked.
He said: “I had a call for a job, but they withhold details of the project in the first conversation.
“I was informed that it would be with the same team from the Marvels, so I checked in with a mutual colleague to see if they received a call and they told me it was for Wicked. You were required to drive on the job but I didn’t have car, but I said I would just make it work and I did.
“Wicked was the longest job I’ve done so far; 12 hour days, including some weekends over eight months. It was filmed across Sky Studios and a backlot in Invinghoe. The Invinghoe shoots invited several drones flying over, operated by paparazzi, trying to get shots while filming was taking place.
“I met Cynthia and Ariana; it took Cynthia four hours in make up as she was green and they also had to cover up Ariana’s tattoos. It’s really interesting to see how a film is put together. They had to film songs in segments of verses, they had to sing to a specific bar and then stop. It’s mind blowing really.
“I had a horn which I had to sound when filming was due to start so that the construction crew stopped working and were quiet. I met the Director, John Chu. and I like to thank that me talking to him about things other than work gave him a chance to escape. He’s a really nice man.
“I had a photo taken with Ariana on a night shoot when she had some friends come in. We were around the trailers and she took the photos on her personal phone. I had to wait for the right moment to ask her to Air Drop the photos! She’s the nicest actor I’ve ever worked with and just to see what she’s achieved is amazing, it’s something she wanted over 10 years ago and now she’s living her dream.”
Anna West, Director of Learning Performing and Creative Arts at Saint Benedict, said: “What an inspiring afternoon our students had. They learnt so much about the film industry, working with superstars, the importance of being true to yourself, always having integrity, surrounding yourself with good people and never giving up. It would be hard to find a more powerful and positive message for our students as they begin to consider their future. It was also the most wonderful moment as a teacher to have a past student come back and inspire a new generation. It’s moments like this that make this job so utterly worthwhile.”
Neil with Director John Chu, with Ariana Grande and on set.
