Lollipop lady’s online appeal for wages so she can stay on duty

SHE’S been protecting the pupils of three schools from the traffic on a busy main road for three years.

And lollipop lady Lorraine Robinson, 63, intends to carry on doing so – despite being axed by the council.

She says she cannot leave children to ‘risk their lives’ and has just launched a crowdfunding appeal on the JustGiving website to pay for her £142-a-month wages, as well as the £1,900 insurance policy she requires.

Mrs Robinson has been patrolling the road in Clevedon, Somerset, which is near two primary schools and a secondary school, every morning and afternoon for three years.

She was axed by the district council a year ago. The town council agreed to pick up her wages, but yesterday it too pulled the plug. Mrs Robinson, a mother of two, said: ‘This is a very dangerous road. Without anyone here, it is an accident waiting to happen. If they don’t do something about it somebody will get killed. The parents have been up in arms.

‘There is not going to be any speed cameras or traffic calming measures introduced.’

Mrs Robinson’s patrol on Old Street helps Nicholas Chantry Primary School, All Saints School and Clevedon School.

Two years ago North Somerset Council withdrew funding for her job. Her wages were then paid by Clevedon Town Council, which was due to stop funding today. However, a donor has contributed £1,500 to keep her working until the February half term.

Wearing her yellow waterproof coat, Mrs Robinson works 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon.

The total cost of employing her to the council is £3,340 a year, including insurance, uniform and other costs.

Mrs Robinson said: ‘ They’re always on about health and safety but what’s more important than children crossing roads safely? It needs somebody there. It gets very busy between 8.20 and 8.45am.’

Last year Mrs Robinson had a hip replacement operation and took three months off. She said that during that time two children were hit by cars.

‘By all accounts, two of the older children got hit by two different cars,’ she said. ‘If I’d have been there it wouldn’t have happened.’ Councillor Graham Watkins believes it was a mistake for North Somerset Council to remove funding. He said: ‘Lorraine is one dedicated lady. She wants to keep going. It is not easy to find people that want that job.’

Lollipop men and women first appeared in London in 1953. It is a legal requirement for traffic to stop at their command. The job is popular with retirees who want to supplement their income with just a few hours of work a week. In 2000 responsibility for providing them was moved from the police to local authorities.