IT IS POSSIBLY one of the most important and yet unheralded jobs that has traditionally been undertaken by more mature residents.
Fun when the sun shines – but the absolute opposite on cold, wet days. Yet there are usually plenty who will take it on – and that is why Moray Council are perhaps confident they get a response to an appeal for people to join a back-up pool of school crossing patrollers – or, for most of us, Lollipop People.
The local authority currently employ 40 patrollers who are helping ensure children safely cross busy road on their way to and from the region’s schools.
However, from time to time unforeseen absences through illness means that relief patrollers are called on – often at very short notice. It is an essential job as when no relief patrollers can be found then it is school staff who have to be moved from their own essential work to taken on crossing duties.
A generous mileage allowance as well as an hourly rate is available to those prepared to take on the relief task, with a spokesman for the public transport unit at Moray Council saying: “We already have a pool of relief patrollers but resources are often stretched covering for sickness and we are looking to recruit people who are prepared to step in, sometimes at quite short notice.
“We would like to hear from people with some experience of working with children, who understand road safety and can use their own initiative.”
Further information and application packs are available by calling Moray Council on 01343 563797.