County’s oldest school crossing patroller hangs up his lollipop
Jim Lilley, 89, has helped youngsters cross road for 28 years
The county’s oldest school crossing patrol officer has hung up his lollipop after almost three decades.
Jim Lilley, 89, helped youngsters safely cross Eastern Avenue, Shoreham, for the last time when term ended on Friday afternoon.
He had been working to keep children – including pupils from St Nicolas & St Mary, St Peter’s and Buckingham Park primary schools – safe for 28 years.
Mr Lilley said: “When I started nearly 30 years ago I saw babies being pushed around in prams. Now a lot of them are parents with children of their own.”
He added that one comment from a pupil some years ago had stuck with him particularly.
“Going back some years at St Nicolas & St Mary, when the school was breaking up for the summer holidays, I had a child come up to me.
“This boy only had one year to do when he came back and he said ‘roll on, summer – let’s get back to school’.
“I will never forget that. I have never had another child say that to me.”
Mr Lilley said he was looking forward to his retirement and bell-ringing – something else for which he is well known in the area.
He started ringing in 1944 and was tower captain at St Mary’s Church, Shoreham, for 40 years, from 1969 to 2009.
He has rung bells in almost every cathedral in England, Scotland and Wales and has visited thousands of towers – with York Minster among his favourites.
He said: “Next July I will be 90 years of age and I will enjoy my retirement bell-ringing.
“I would like to say thankyou to all the motorists, parents and children for their excellent help and cooperation and wish them all a happy Christmas.”
And while he was looking forward to his retirement, Mr Lilley said he would miss the job he has done for so long, and everything that came with it.
“I will really miss the parents and the pupils,” he added.
“It has sometimes been difficult but always an extremely rewarding task.”
Andy Lincoln, acting head teacher at St Nicolas & St Mary, said: “As a school we are all very sad to be saying farewell to Mr Lilley after an incredible 28 years’ service.
“For two generations – many of our children’s parents remember him fondly when they were at school here – he has been an ever-present, important part of our school.
“We have always appreciated the service he has given in ensuring that the community of Shoreham can safely cross Eastern Avenue on their way to and from school.
The children love to say good morning to him and as staff at school we will genuinely miss his character and presence.
“We all wish him a very wellearned second retirement and, when circumstances allow, we look forward to welcoming him back for an outdoor farewell service with the whole school community.”
A West Sussex County Council spokesman said: “Jim has just completed 28 years’ dedicated service as a crossing patrol officer, helping schoolchildren and their families to safely cross roads in all weathers.
“He has served the pupils at St Nicolas & St Mary CE Primary School as well as assisting pupils and parents travelling to St Peter’s Catholic Primary School and
Buckingham Park Primary School and the wider community.”
County council chief executive Becky Shaw wrote to Jim to thank him for his service to the community and to wish him well in his retirement.
The council will be advertising for a new school crossing patrol for this site, and others in the area, in the new year.