Gabalfa Primary School will be saying farewell to long-serving caretaker, Mr Tony King who retires this month. 

Tony has been taking care of the school site for more than 30 years and has supported the community through many changes including hosting Ysgol Glan Ceubal at the site and more recently, a new joint building and outdoor facilities for Gabalfa Primary and Ysgol Glan Ceubal.

Reflecting on his time at Gabalfa Primary School, Tony said, "Well, I can't believe it's been 30 years - where's the time gone?!  I took on this role as a temporary one, never believing that I would remain here right through to retirement. 

"In that time, I have had a son and I've been lucky enough to see him grow into a fantastic young man. I have worked with many wonderful people and the strangest thing of all is seeing the children I knew from years ago become parents themselves with their own children.

When asked about the children of the school Tony said, "I have obviously been more suited to working with children than I ever thought I would be, and some may say that my sense of humour is that likened to a child's! I love the banter with the children and I am even known as 'Tony the Toast' because the children and I always have a chat in the Breakfast Club."

Summing up his time at the school, Tony said, "It has been a privilege working here, I'm going to miss all of the staff who should be proud of the work that they do and the wonderful children they teach - I know that they'll keep up the good work!"

Headteacher, Mrs Carrie Jenkins, said, "Tony has been the backbone of our school for so long. He has seen us safely through periods of great change and has brought laughter and wisdom to our toughest challenges.  He is a highly skilled individual who has worked tirelessly to ensure Gabalfa Primary is a safe and welcoming environment for all our learners and their families.  His dedication has helped shape our success and his friendship to us all has made this a wonderful place to work, learn and play.  We wish him a very long and happy retirement." 

Cardiff's Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Sarah Merry said, "Congratulations Tony. Our school staff in each and every role, play and integral part to keeping schools safe and happy. I would like to thank Tony for his service and dedication over the years. Enjoy your retirement."

Tony plans to enjoy his retirement by spending some well-deserved time with his family. A keen angler, he is looking forward to enjoying moments of calm and tranquillity on the river.