Fifth Family Member Continues School Crossing Patrol Legacy

Barry Jones, 44, has stated that “being a lollipop man is in my blood,” as he represents the fifth individual in his family to assist children in safely crossing the street. Mr. Jones is employed on Bury Old Road in Heywood, where he facilitates safe passage for children and parents attending St Margaret’s Church of England Primary School. His grandmother, mother, sister, and brother-in-law have also served in school crossing patrol roles. Mr. Jones expressed that he finds the position profoundly gratifying, attributing this to the “smile and cheery hello” he receives from people, which he says “brightened his day.” His grandmother, Norah Goldfinch, commenced her service assisting children across roads in Chorlton, South Manchester, in 1961, a role she maintained for three decades. His mother, Joyce, his sister Tina, and his brother-in-law Norman also wore high-visibility attire to ensure children’s safety. Barry recounted: “My nanna worked as a school crossing patrol in Manchester from 1961 to the mid-1990s, working mainly at Chorlton Park Junior School and I used to love watching her”. He further commented: “You see someone and they smile at you. They give you a cheery hello and it brightens your day”. Beyond assisting children, Barry’s role extends to other pedestrians. Shirley Champion, who regularly traverses Bury Old Road with her two dogs, Poppy and Charlie, remarked: “Barry always has a smile on his face and he’s always looking around for the traffic and then finds a safe time for us to cross. “He’s doing an absolutely fantastic job”. Jade O’Keefe, a mother of three, stated that she crosses the road twice daily and considers Barry’s assistance indispensable. She explained: “Sometimes drivers don’t stop. Its really busy and of course you need a lollipop man on a main road,”. Councillor Shah Wazir, who serves as the cabinet member for highways at Rochdale Borough Council, commented: “We’re really proud of our school crossing patrols and it’s wonderful to hear that Barry is continuing his long standing family tradition. “Almost four decades of helping children cross the road is something his family can be really proud of.” Access top content from BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and connect with BBC Manchester via Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story submissions can be sent to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk or through Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.