2009 Winners

UK winner

Over 19,000 schoolchildren from all around the UK sent in photographs, painitings, drawings, poems, songs, raps and films to tell us all about their lollipop person and why they should be named the nation’s best.

After an extensive judging process, Scottish Lollipop man John Foley, who patrols the crossing at Bushes Primary School in Paisley, has been named as the 2009 Kwik Fit Insurance Lollipop Person of the Year.

The children at Bushes Primary School put in a tremendous effort in their nomination of John and were delighted to win the competition and the £3,000 prize. The pupils plan to spend the money on creating a community garden in the school – with John as Head Gardener!

To find out more about John and all our wonderful regional winners, read on....

 

Region: Scotland
Winner: John Foley
School: Bushes Primary School
Town: Paisley
John’s popularity at Bushes is second to none. He’s on first name terms with all the kids and has become more than just a lollipop person to the school. John finds time to help the dinner ladies set up the lunchtime tables and participates in all the school’s activities – including playing goalkeeper for their Beat the Goalie fundraiser! The judges were particularly impressed with the efforts of all at Bushes Primary in their nomination of John, the highlight being their tribute song to the tune of The Proclaimers hit, 500 miles, and also their hugely entertaining rap to the music of Robbie Williams Rock DJ. Well done Bushes!
Region: North East England
Winner: Harry Richards
School: Staindrop Primary School
Town: County Durham
Harry is a popular character in the local community. Not only is he the respected heart and soul of the school but he also coaches the football team and helps with any problems around the school regardless of what it involves. On top of all this Harry was in the school at the crack of dawn every day of the summer holidays inspecting the work being done by builders – his dedication is second to none.
Region: North West England
Winner: Sheila Jayne
School: St Austin's Primary School
Town: Liverpool
Sheila regularly goes beyond the call of duty, including learning Spanish in order to help local pupils at the school – a centre of excellence for Spanish. Sheila also talks to all the pupils about road safety and is always on call to help and deal with any road safety issues not only at school but in the local community. The pupils and parents of St Austin’s posted handwritten nomination forms for Sheila, highlighting her warm personality, boundless energy and commitment to the school community as the reason he’s so special.
Region: Yorkshire & Humberside
Winner: Jackie Fox
School: Siddall Primary School
Town: Halifax
Jackie has patrolled the local area for over thirty years and has seen children she knew as pupils become parents and even grandparents, taking their children to and from the school they themselves attended. Jackie was nominated not only by the school and its pupils but by the surrounding community who all appreciate the fantastic job she does.
Region: East of England
Winner: Ron Hilton
School: Grove Wood Primary School
Town: Rayleigh
Ron has been helping the children at Grove Wood Primary School safely across the busy Grove Road, Rayleigh, since his appointment as crossing patrol person some 10 years ago. Every year Ron highlights the importance of road safety when he comes into the school during National Road Safety Week and speaks to the children during a special assembly. He also takes part in the school’s conferences and attends their special Remembrance Service in November. The children drew hundreds of pictures of Ron and even composed a rap to show how much he means to them.
Region: South East England
Winner: Traviss Whitehead
School: Fleetdown Infant and Junior School
Town: Dartford
As well as helping children at Fleetdown Infant and Junior School in Dartford to cross the road for the past 14 years, Traviss goes beyond the call of duty and regularly organises a range of after school activities including fundraising events and fetes. Further still, he gives up his free time to chair the Parent Association, DJ’s at school discos, coaches the football team and keeps scores on sports day.
Region: South West England
Winner: Chris Day
School: Welton Primary School
Town: Midsomer Norton
As well as helping children at Welton Primary School in Midsomer Norton for the past 10 years, Chris is also one of the school governors, campus caretaker and gives up his free time to organise clubs, quiz nights, and attend the school camp. Children from the school sent hundreds of poems and colourful paintings of Chris along with their handwritten nomination forms.
Region: East Midlands
Winner: Terry Evans
School: Abington Vale Primary School
Town: Northampton
Terry, 68, who has been helping children at Abington Vale Primary School since 2006, is also the school caretaker and retired from his official duties earlier this month. However, head teacher Mark Currell – who wrote his own poem to nominate Terry – said he was relieved that Terry would remain as lollipop man to ensure the school children could continue to cross safely. Children at the school created a DVD in the style of an evening news report, with a news anchor and reporters in the field interviewing parents and children. They also sent poems and drawings of Terry, who regularly raises money for the school and gives road safety talks to the children.
Region: West Midlands
Winner: Angela Smith
School: Sutherland Primary School
Town: Blurton
Angela has been helping children at Sutherland Primary School in Blurton for 31 years, having started in 1978, and has helped two generations of families to cross the road. She also regularly gives the children talks on road safety, and lets them try on her lollipop person uniform. The children at the school interviewed Angela about her career and created news reports, wrote biographies and stories. They even made a set and filmed a stop-motion animation using toys.
Region: Wales
Winner: Barrie Glover
School: Whitland Primary School
Town: Whitland
Barry is more than a lollipop person, helping with school dinners and lending a hand on class trips. Barry beat cancer to return to school, after the children at the school wrote to him while he was receiving chemotherapy. Further still, he is a talented artist and as well as painting stunning murals inside the school, he has also ran an after-school art class for a whole term. The pupils of Whitland Primary posted handwritten nomination forms for Barry, as well as a DVD, artwork and posters highlighting his huge dedication to the school.
Region: Northern Ireland
Winner: Paddy Ward
School: St Colmcille Primary School
Town: Claudy
As well as helping children at St Colmcille Primary School in Claudy to cross the road for the last 11 years, Paddy goes beyond the call of duty every day. Despite having reached the age of retirement three years ago, Paddy’s commitment to the school is such that he made a request to the education authority to keep working as lollipop man and school caretaker at St Colmcille. The pupils of St Colmcille Primary posted handwritten nomination forms for Paddy, as well as painting pictures, making posters and creating wall friezes to highlight how important he is to the school community.

Region: London
Winner: Arthur Kendall
School: Gordonbrock Primary School
Town: Brockley
Arthur has been helping children at Gordonbrock Primary School in Brockley for 16 years and is a popular character in the local community. Head Teacher Sue Blyth says as soon as her pupils heard about the Kwik Fit Insurance competition they were desperate to support Arthur all the way. The children of Gordonbrock put a great deal of effort into their submission, painted pictures and writing poems, and even made dolls of Arthur carrying his lollipop.