THE fuel crisis may have brought panic-buying and queues at the petrol pumps but at least it’s given a much-needed breather to harrassed lollipop ladies.
Traffic outside school gates has been noticeably lighter this week and for the 98 lollipop staff employed by Redcar and Cleveland council on Teeside that means less abuse from bad-mannered motorists.
Following a torrent of complaints, the council has sworn to get tough on “lollipop rage”. Rude motorists have been driving too fast, refusing to stop and bad-mouthing anyone who gets in their way.
In an effort to get motorists to heed the lollipop signs the council, with the backing of local police, has launched a “Please Stop” campaign.
And, as cars throughout
Teeside ran short on petrol, the campaign looked set for speedy success.
Meanwhile, Charles Darwin is honored this week by his alma mater. Shrewsbury school unveiled a statue of the great naturalist and author of On the Origin of Species.
Headteacher Ted Maidment said the school was justly proud of the old boy.
“Everyone’s still talking about him. It’s quite something,” he gushed.
Of course, Darwin’s great
theory about natural selection and the survival of the fittest would not have come about without the help of the Royal Navy, whose ship HMS Beagle took him on his great voyage of discovery.
Nearly two centuries later, the 50-strong crew of HMS Sunderland showed the navy is still keen to support the discovery of knowledge by chipping in pound;200 to build a new school at Palmerston Atoll in the Cook Islands.
The sailors’ donation was a thank-you to the islanders’ for their warm welcome during a two-day visit.
