I have decided to introduce my weekend and spare time passion, which is Muddy Kitchen Floor, to my bill paying work and business which is Vernon Lodge School.

In 2011, G & I embarked on a new life challenge. We decided to buy a small school in the borders of Staffordshire & Shropshire. We had always intended to own a school, this one seemed a little far away from our Essex base, but once we had a look, we sort of fell in love, we sort of bought the school and everything that came with it.

When we first went to view it, I expected to see a bustling kitchen, a fat old fashioned school cook, but alas, the children bring a packed lunch. Those who know me, know I am passionate about healthy food for children and the importance of a hot school lunch.

It has taken over a year, but we finally managed to get the food safety team in, get them to agree to an action plan, allow us to work with our two minuscule kitchens. So now, the adventure starts. I’m now on a tight deadline of September to get one preparation kitchen and one serving kitchen up to code.

I have to find produce, staff, kitchen equipment, flooring, ovens, chopping boards, the whole kit and kaboodle.

Does this worry me? Yes!

Am I going to rise to this challenge? Most definitely!!!

I want the children of our school to know how important it is to eat healthy hot lunches, I want to provide them with good, fresh local produce, I want to see an old fashioned fat old school cook, bustling about the place, providing us with good home/school cooked food.

The countdown is on, lets see if we can make the September deadline.

Ps anyone reading this who can help in anyway, please let me know.