Farewell to stalwart Dingwall Academy school cleaner who doesn't like to say 'goodbye'
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School cleaning staff turned out to say farewell to a cherished member of their team who is retiring from her job at Dingwall Academy.
Mary Macallister is hanging up her rubber gloves after devoting more than 30 years to the role.
The 66-year-old grandmother-of-11, whose husband George died suddenly aged 60 in 2018, plans to get a pet and spend more time with her family - and a puppy "for company" could even be on the cards.
Mrs Macallister of Bruce Avenue says she has seen many changes in her three decades at the school, the biggest of all being the move from the old academy building to the new one when it was rebuilt on the former school.
She said: "The biggest change for me was moving from the new school to a nice new one, that was a really strange experience.
"It's still sinking in that I won't be going to work this week - I am miss the lovely ladies, we had a lot of good laughs over the years and my last day there was really hard, I don't like saying goodbye.
"I'm so grateful to everyone for their cards and flowers and gifts and good wishes and thanks to the head teacher Karen Cormack for always being so lovely.
She continued: "I have really enjoyed my work over all those years, it was so brilliant watching the wee first years grow into teenagers and move on in their lives.
"But it's time now to have some time for myself and my family, I am looking forward to spending more time with the grandchildren, doing more gardening and maybe getting a puppy.
"It's great to know that someone else in the team was able to step into my job which gives her family-friendly hours."
