A POPULAR teacher is celebrating today after winning a special award to mark his lifetime of dedication.

A POPULAR teacher is celebrating today after winning a special award to mark his lifetime of dedication.

Roy Plumbly, a long-serving teacher at Hadleigh High School, won a teaching award for lifetime achievement at a ceremony, held at St Andrew's Hall, Norwich.

Hundreds of teachers were put forward for awards, sponsored by BT, and the judging panel had a difficult task in choosing the best of the bunch, nominated by headteachers, governors, teachers and others.

Mr Plumbly was nominated for the award by his colleagues after teaching at Hadleigh High for 35 years, alongside his wife, Merike (Mel).

The school originally wanted to nominate the couple jointly, but this was not possible because of the way the awards are organised.

However, Mr Plumbly said: "This is really for both of us – we have always worked together."

The couple, both in their late 50s, are preparing to retire at the end of term and will be missed by staff and children alike.

This week they have been organising the school's annual summer camp at Shottisham, as they have done every year since the 1970s.

Mr Plumbly teaches maths at the school, while his wife teaches textiles, and they are also both involved in many other activities at the school and in the wider Hadleigh community.

The regional winners now go

forward to the Teaching Awards UK ceremony where, if successful, they will receive a further cash grant to boost the value of their prize to £15,000.