THE search is under way for more lollipop people for a village road crossing.
Tollesbury School, in East Street, is the county's pilot site for the first entirely voluntary school crossing patrol, but parents are still short of volunteers to cover the afternoon shift.
Parent Sarah Case, from Tolleshunt Major, has been campaigning for a crossing at the school since January 2012 and finally got the go-ahead in November. Since then, she has secured the services of one lollipop man.
To promote their cause, Sarah and other parents at the school started a poster competition and the winner was Year 2 pupil Lacey-Mai Rushen.
Mrs Case said: "We had a number of entries, which were all very good, but the teachers chose this one – it will be displayed around the village during the next few days.
"We are now at a stage where we have one volunteer, a parent, who has agreed to do all the morning crossings, but we are desperately seeking one or two more volunteers who will cover the afternoon slots – only 25 minutes each day.
"The first volunteer we have is hoping to have his training very soon and get his uniform and lollipop stick so we can, at least, have the morning crossings covered during the second part of this term.
"It's brilliant to be able to have the patrol at long last.
"It's a huge community effort to get it up and running and it means older children will able to go to school on their own safely."
In the past three years, the Tollesbury School Crossing Supporters' Group has arranged quiz nights, a Valentine's Day Ball, discos, auctions and raffles to raise money in the hope of funding the crossing.
The Chronicle reported in November 2012 the school had been quoted almost £50,000 to create a school crossing, manned by a lollipop person.
But last September Mrs Case met with Essex County Council, which confirmed Tollesbury could be used as a pilot for a voluntary scheme with reduced costs.
The crossing group will still need to pay Essex County Council for background costs including risk assessments, training, uniforms, and Disclosure and Barring Service checks.
For that reason the group is now looking for a company to sponsor the school crossing, hopefully securing about £3,000 a year to help the patrol.
Mrs Case added: "A sponsor would be able to have its company name and logo printed on the crossing patrol jackets and it would also be given some online coverage."
If anyone would like to apply for the volunteer crossing patrol they can contact Tollesbury School on 01621 869242.
Those interested in sponsoring the crossing should contact Sarah Case on sjr.case@hotmail.co.uk
