Bucks Council hails 'invaluable' school patrollers on their 70th anniversary

Bucks Council has paid tribute to its school crossing patrollers to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the role.

The local authority has called the men and women who help children cross the roads “invaluable”.

Over the years, thousands of children across Buckinghamshire have been assisted by this service.

Buckinghamshire currently has around 50 school crossing patrollers, commonly known as lollipop men and women, working in the county.

Patrollers are required to brave all sorts of British weather to guide children and parents to and from school.

Many of the current school crossing patrollers have been doing the job for years. Bucks Council says they have totted up more than 500 years of service, helping multiple generations of families.

Several now help the children of the children they first helped cross the road on their way to school and some of the longest servicing school crossing patrollers are guiding the grandchildren of the children they first helped.

To celebrate the 70-year milestone and to say thank you to all school crossing patrollers, past and present, Buckinghamshire Council hosted a special event in High Wycombe today (29 June).

The national school crossing patrol service was formed when the School Crossing Patrol Act passed in 1953.

Councillor Steven Broadbent said: “School crossing patrollers carry out such an important role, not simply in helping to guide children to and from school safely but also providing a friendly and welcoming face in their local community, year after year and promoting the benefits of active travel and road safety. I believe their personalities and characters leave a lasting impression on every schoolchild that goes way beyond helping them to cross the road safely twice a day.

"I still have very fond memories of Mrs Robinson, my school crossing patroller when I was young. Their work is invaluable, and they are all much loved by all the children and families they support.

"We are grateful to all our school crossing patrollers, past and present and thank them for the fantastic job they do in helping to keep children safe on their walk to school.”

Currently there are some vacancies for school crossing patrollers, interested parties in South Bucks can contact Georgina Longley on 01494 586639, people in North Bucks should call Corrine Randall on 01296 383432.

At the commemorative ceremony Bucks patrollers shared some of their favourite experiences from the job. One proudly relayed how he lost three stone in weight when first starting in post, simply by all the walking he does on his patrol site. Christine Walker is the county’s longest service patroller, clocking up 45 years. She received a British Empire Medal (BEM) in 2021 for her long service to road safety and has attended two Royal Garden Parties.

One school crossing patroller called Mario is affectionately known as Super Mario by the children who greet him fondly every day. One thing all the patrollers clearly have in common is their love of the job with all of them saying how rewarding they find the role.