Lollipop man from Skegness receives long service award
Lollipop man Paul O'Callaghan has received a long service award from the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership. He tells Lincolnshire World why he still loves the job - whatever the weather.
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00:00The lollipop man from Skegness has been rewarded for his long service.
00:06Paul, how long have you been a lollipop man?
00:0923 years. I got the service medals, as you can see here, on Tuesday.
00:17And I've been a patrolman for over 23 years, when I first started back in Norfolk.
00:23So how long have you been at the Richmond School?
00:26I think I've been here about three years.
00:29I mean, what do you love about it?
00:33Well, you see them grow up from little ones to the big ones.
00:37And some of the comments they make sometimes, they're so funny.
00:42What they ask and all that sort of thing.
00:46I get along with the parents.
00:49I mean, the job is satisfying and it's alright.
00:53I mean, you have good days and bad days.
00:58Now, you are a local entertainer as well, aren't you?
01:03I'm working tomorrow.
01:05Oh, right. Well, that's good.
01:07Do you sing to them as well?
01:09No, I don't do none of that. That's all kept separate.
01:14Do you get recognised by the children?
01:17No, they don't know me as the other side.
01:21But I've done the Richmond Circus a few weeks ago as Royal Orbison.
01:27So, you know, you're saying that you've been doing this for 23 years.
01:31What would you say your most memorable day was?
01:34Well, like last weekend, getting this for 20 years service.
01:38Did you expect that?
01:40I knew I was getting it from what Sam told me.
01:44She's from the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership, isn't she?
01:48You've never really been fully recognised for how much you've actually done.
01:55Well, as far as I know, I'm the only one in Skegness.
01:59Wow. I mean, it is something which generations have experienced.
02:05And in this changing world, do you think it's really nice that
02:10Richmond School still has a lollipop man?
02:13Yeah, it is.
02:15One of the things you have to be very, very careful
02:19because you don't know what's going to happen.
02:22You've got to stop, you've got to go and do this side of things.
02:25All right, OK.
02:26So how did you get involved with becoming a lollipop man?
02:30It was, I saw an advert in the local paper where I come from,
02:35in the Eastern Daily Press,
02:37and they wanted a patrolman for a school in Scarney.
02:41Something like this school here.
02:44And I just applied for the job.
02:49In them days, you had to just be police checked.
02:53Police checked, come back, saying, yeah, I was suitable for the job.
02:57Went and saw a chap called Ian Webb, who was like Sammy's,
03:03and with him and I, I got the job.
03:06What do you like about it most?
03:09It's a different challenge every day.
03:12It's something different every day.
03:14You're not sure what the weather's going to be.
03:17That was one of the prime things that Ian Webb instilled in me.
03:21He said, you will be out in all weathers.
03:25And I thought, yes, I have realised that.
03:28And you are, you are literally out in all weathers.
03:31You don't get no choice whether it's a hot day or freezing.
03:36You still have to be here.
03:38And it's still with a smile on your face?
03:40Oh, yes, even when you're standing there and the water's dripping off your nose.
03:45Now, you've just used the crossing at the Richmond School.
03:49Do you think it's nice to still see a lollipop man outside of school?
03:54Yes, I'm very happy.
03:56Yeah, this road is very busy, isn't it?
04:00Yes, very busy road.
04:02And it makes you feel safer?