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Maple Road
Award-winning Surbiton caterer and school governor dies aged 80
Sheila Mitchell, from Portsmouth Road, Surbiton, died on Monday, September 23, following a short illness.
Her funeral will be held at Kingston Crematorium later today. This week family members, colleagues and staff from Maple Infants, where Miss Mitchell was the chair of governors, paid tribute.
Miss Mitchell was born in Brighton in 1933. In 1940, her mother was killed when the family shop was bombed during the Blitz, and she was sent to live with an aunt – a professional cook. By the late 50s, Ms Mitchell had moved to Surbiton, and had taken on the role of stage manager for the Kingston Operatic Society. It was around the same time she joined the British Overseas Airways Corporation (which would later become British Airways) as catering manager, before moving to renowned building firm Holland, Hannen & Cubitts.
In 1963, Miss Mitchell joined Sanofi Winthrop pharmaceutical manufacturers, then based in Surbiton, where she opened the staff catering facilities. She was eventually promoted to group services controller before retiring in 1988. In 1996 Miss Mitchell was awarded the Freeman of the City of London – and she would often be seen wearing the commemorative brooch. Two years later, in 1998, she received an MBE for her contribution and promotion of the catering industry. That same year, she joined Maple Infants in Maple Road, Surbiton, as a governor and volunteer. She was chair of the board of governors at the time of her death – the third time she had held the position.
Miss Mitchell was also member of the Association of Catering Excellence (ACE) for more than 50 years, and following news of her death, ACE chair Jeni Edwards paid tribute at the organisation’s annual ready steady cook event on Thursday.
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