Out in all weathers, the lollipop lady, or indeed man, has been a familiar sight on British streets for nearly 50 years. So let’s celebrate their wonderfulness.

First seen in the 1960s, with the introduction of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1967, they soon became a fixture outside schools across the country. Now Fluffy News thinks it’s time to shout about these everyday heroes.

Bedford seems particularly blessed with long serving lollipop people with one school holding a special assembly for <name>a lollipop lady with 30 years of service http://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/news/local/pupils-hold-special-assembly-in-thanks-to-long-serving-lollipop-lady-1-6371939
whilst another has been celebrating 2 lollipop ladies who together have been working for 65 years http://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/news/local/pupils-celebrate-lollipop-ladies-as-they-clock-up-65-years-of-crossing-patrols-1-6315357

Meanwhile over in East Yorkshire 8 lollipop people have clocked up an impressive 200 years of service (?) between them http://www.driffieldtoday.co.uk/news/education/celebrating-the-unsung-heroes-of-the-road-1-6853780

Whilst most of those highlighted so far are women, there are plenty of lollpop men out there too. And it may even be the secret to a long life with Peter Waterhouse celebrating his 70th birthday <http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Lollipop-man-Peter-celebrates-70th-birthday/story-23219816-detail/story.html>. But he’s a spring chicken compared to 80 year old <name> from Matlock <http://www.matlockmercury.co.uk/news/local/oap-pete-keeps-kids-safe-at-matlock-1-6913411>
Over in Airdrie, lollipop lady <name> has even been recognised by the queen and has been awarded the British Empire Medal http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/long-serving-airdrie-lollipop-lady-been-4453533

But woe betide anyone who tries to take a school’s lollipop lady away, particularly when they’re as popular as Kath Kerr, ‘the dancing lollipop lady’ http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/watch-dancing-lollipop-lady-faces-7827748 Parents and local residents have been up in arms since it emerged that Kath’s job may be under threat. They even set up a Facebook page to show their support https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Kath-Kerr-Our-local-lollipop-lady-from-cuts/1484087111845457

So let’s hear it for that army of men and women keeping our children safe.