She starred alongside the celebrity chef in Jamie’s School Dinners, the Channel 4 show which campaigned to ban food such as Turkey Twizzlers from the menu.

Education chiefs said she was going for "personal and health-related" reasons - denying reports she has resigned in frustration at a lack of Government cash to improve school meals.

A friend of Nora told the Daily Mirror: "Nora is passionate about this campaign. To see nothing change despite all the problems has been heartbreaking.

"She became increasingly frustrated at trying to provide a healthy menu with none of the extra money or training for staff promised by the Government."

But Greenwich Council leader Chris Roberts said: "There is absolutely no truth in the suggestion that Nora is leaving due to concerns over budget issues.

"She has made clear to us that her reasons are personal and health-related.

"The council is very grateful for all that Nora and all our school meals staff have done to create healthy and nutritious food for the children at Kidbrooke over many years."

Irish-born Nora became the star of Jamie’s School Dinners with her no-nonsense approach.

Celebrity chef Jamie told the Daily Mirror he was bitterly disappointed that she was leaving.

"It’s a great shame. Nora has made incredible changes at Kidbrooke and really struggled over the past four years without support."

Jamie offers recipe to Prince - Feb 16 2007
Jamie Oliver offered the Prince of Wales one of his recipes for Charles’ Duchy Originals range.

The Prince hosted a reception at Clarence House for cooks and headteachers from 60 schools to stress the importance of giving pupils healthy meals.

Jamie, known for his crusade to banish unhealthy school dinners, was among the guests who mingled with Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

The celebrity chef told the Prince he could use a gingerbread recipe he developed recently for a new Duchy Originals product.

Charles and Camilla revealed they were fans of the star’s TV series Jamie’s School Dinners, in which he campaigned to improve the quality of food served in schools.

Jamie said he was "very much in awe" of the good work done by the Prince’s Trust charity, which receives the profits of sales of Duchy Originals produce.

The chef, who wore a grey suit, was accompanied by Nora Sands, a dinner lady featured on Jamie’s School Dinners.

Jamie said he was currently in a "stage of observing" how Government pledges to improve school meals were working.

"In a year or so we will review what’s happened," he said.

"We will study where the money’s gone. As usual with politics there’s a lot of detail involved.

"It has captured the public’s imagination and lots of good stuff’s happened."

The chef indicated there would probably be another series of Jamie’s School Dinners "in the next few years", when it was "relevant".

Jamie discusses dinners with Charles - Feb 15 2007
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and more than 60 school cooks will meet the Prince of Wales today.

Charles is hosting a reception at Clarence House to stress the importance of providing pupils with healthy meals.

Jamie is well known for his crusade to banish unhealthy school dinners.

The Prince will also meet representatives of The School Food Trust, which oversees the Government’s school food reforms.

It was set up after the TV chef’s Feed Me Better campaign two years ago.

School cooks from across the country, along with their headteachers, will chat to Charles about the standard of food being offered to youngsters.

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