Lollipop lady’s fond farewell to Hayfield Primary pupils after 26 years

Janette Hollinrake has been the face of the safe crossing outside the school since the turn of the millennium.

And on Friday May, 22 she said did her last shift before retirement.

The 66-year-old said: “I’ve crossed children who have grown up and had children of their own and now I’m crossing them!”

She said she is part of the community and loves her job.

“The early mornings when there’s just me and the birds singing brings me peace.

“Then the children come along with their happy voices and they brighten up my day too even when it’s raining and grey.”

She says over the years she has seen many changes including two notable ones.

“There are way more cars on the road than there were when I first started and of course mobile phones.

“Parents are still walking to school with their children but you see them, and now the children are getting distracted by phones more and more as everyone has a phone nowadays.”

Janette has worked for Derbyshire County Council for 30 years, first as a dinner lady and then as a crossing warden.

She also works in The Sportsman in Hayfield doing the cleaning, a role she will keep on for a while.

“I’m retiring from the school because I want to take holidays in term time where it doesn’t cost a fortune.

“Me and my husband were looking at holidays and if we waited until July to retire all the holiday prices would be super high but this way we can take out time and go on a trip or two in the coming months before the big holidays and just relax and slow down a bit more.”

Janette was presented with gifts from the children on her last day.

“I’m going to miss them all terribly and the staff, this has been a job I have really loved but the time is right.”

After taking some well earned holidays Janette said has hobbies like photography, baking and crochet she wants to get back into as she has been clock watching for the past two decades after her morning shift ready for her afternoon shift.