A TV personality swapped the teleprompter for a set of traffic lights to try and raise awareness of the disappearing unsung heroes of the school run.
Well known for his work on ITV’s This Morning, TV presenter Jeff Brazier returned to his old school, St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Hornchurch Road, Hornchurch, to spend a day finding out what life is like as a lollipop man.
He soon learned the ropes from St Mary’s’ veteran lollipop lady Irene, and it wasn’t long before he was lapping up the attention.
He said: ““Although I am slightly exhausted, this morning was incredibly enjoyable! It was extremely rewarding knowing that I was doing something so valuable for the community.”
A recent survey by Churchill Insurance revealed that 91pc of parents felt road safety at their local school had worsened in the past five years with an additional 32pc noting a Lollipopper had recently been removed from the local area with no suitable replacement.
Father-of-two Jeff was shocked when he learned of these statistics.
He said: “Being a dad to my two boys, I know how important it is to know that your children are safe during the school run.
“Working at my old school with Irene has given me a real insight into the amazing work Lollipoppers do and it makes it all the more shocking they are being taken off the roads.
“I’d urge anyone who has considered being a Lollipopper to put themselves forward in their local community – they really do make a difference.”
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