A POPULAR lollipop man who has been serving the same Lutterworth school for 10 years has been thanked at a special assembly.
Staff at John Wycliffe Primary School surprised Rob Woodward at the end of last term by holding a celebration to mark a decade of safely shepherding kids across the road.
The children gave their beloved ‘Mr Rob’ gifts, made giant cards and sang their hearts out in the assembly.
Rob said he was ‘really pleased’ when he realised the school was holding a celebration for him, adding: “I was a bit surprised as they asked me to help move furniture!”
He says his favourite part of the job is helping people and seeing the children smile.
He continued: “The children greet me in the morning with ‘Morning Mr Rob’. My relationship with them is very good – even if they see me in town they’ll say ‘Hello Mr Rob!’”
He even once cheekily convinced one of the children that he lived in the tree on his crossing.
And he says he wouldn’t change his job for the world.
“Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it with all the traffic problems – but even if I won the lottery I’d still carry on,” he said. “10 years ago, I never would have been able to get up on the stage like I did at the assembly. Doing this job has really helped me build my confidence.”
A school spokesperson described Rob as a ‘quiet hero’ and ‘pillar of the local community’.
They added: “At the start of the assembly, the children were all asked ‘who keeps us safe and is really kind?’ They unanimously answered ‘Mr Rob!’. I think that speaks volumes to the wonderful impact he has.
“Mr Rob has been a core part of the John Wycliffe Primary School community and our safety superhero for 10 years, and we wanted to do something to show our appreciation for his dedication and hard work.
“Mr Rob has kept hundreds of children safe over the last decade, and his cheery and kind nature make him a firm favourite with all of the children.”
