School stalwart honoured by Pope wins new award

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She spent 64 years working at the former St Michael's College, in Leeds, only retiring at the age of 80, when the college closed.

Miss Redmond, 82, of Pudsey, who has been awarded an MBE, was originally a domestic help to the Jesuit priests before becoming school kitchen supervisor and ultimately caretaker.

She has kept a photo of her locking up for the last time at the college.

Hearing about the MBE, she said: "It's great.

"It's a bit frightening to go before the Queen, I have only ever seen her on the television but I am excited.

"I am very lucky," she added.

Miss Redmond still sometimes bumps into former pupils in Leeds.

She said: "I met two girls in the market the other day, they were doctors who had been at the college."

Miss Redmond has been awarded the honour for her voluntary service to education.

She worked at St Michael's College for 64 years until it closed in July 2008.

"I miss working now, but still you have to retire sometime," Miss Redmond added.

While at the school, she often worked seven-days weeks, taking responsibility for washing sports kits for the school teams as well as provide meals after matches.

Miss Redmond said she was very much a hands-on caretaker, doing repairs and decorating as well as being a line manager and supervising domestic and cleaning staff to ensure the school's smooth running

She said: "I started at the school in 1945 and was there until 2008.

"I really loved the job, I did everything there.

"There was no job that I did not do. I made the curtains, I painted the hall and I kept it all up-to-date," Miss Redmond added.

Outside of the school she was active in the local community and on her retirement she was awarded the Bene Merenti Medal by his Holiness Pope John Paul II for her services to the Catholic community in Leeds.

St Michael's was formed in 1905, after two young Jesuit priests were invited to Leeds by the city's Catholic Bishop William Gordon.

Officially, St Michael's closed in 2005, but its buildings stayed in use for another three years.