Queen of the road: Lollipop Lady of the Year nominee 'couldn’t believe it' (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Queen of the road: Lollipop Lady of the Year nominee Jo Gill 'couldn’t believe it'

11:40am Tuesday 19th March 2013 in News By Rebecca Perring, Reporter

Come rain or shine, Jo Gill ensures children from a school in St Albans cross the road safely and this is why she has been shortlisted for Lollipop Lady of the Year.

With a smile, Mrs Gill has been crossing children from Wheatfields Infants School for the past 18 months and has now reached the final seven for the Hertfordshire County Council's School Crossing Patrol of the Year competition.

The school’s council, made up of 11 pupils from each year group, nominated Mrs Gill for "always greeting everyone with a smile whatever the weather."

Mrs Gill, of Pondfield Crescent took up the post while her daughter youngest Grace, who is now 11, attended the school in Downes Road.

The 50-year-old said: "I have the best job in the world. It really is lovely - I think it was meant to be.

"One morning I was walking Grace to school and said to her do you think I could be a lollipop lady? and she replied yes of course mummy.

"That same morning the school were advertising a post."

Jo Gill, 50, says she has 'the best job in the world'.

The lollipop lady said she was prompted to go for the job after noticing the danger of the busy road nearby while taking her four daughters, Rebecca, Esther, Hannah and Grace to school. She said: "It is such a busy and dangerous road and it is important to keep people safe. It is good to give something back to the community.

"I have got to know a lot of the children and parents and in the morning it has a real community feel. Everyone smiles and waves at each other.

Mrs Gill also works as a lunchtime midday supervisor and previously worked in the school’s nursery.

Pupils and parents were asked to give reasons for their nomination, which are displayed on brightly coloured notice board in the school.

A nomination for Mrs Gill from a pupil.

One read: "Mrs Gill is smiley and happy in any weather and being a lollipop lady for our school is just one of the many jobs she does.

"I think that she is very polite when you are crossing the road. She always says good morning or good afternoon to you."

While another said: "Mrs Gill is the best lollipop lady because she stops the cars nicely. She is a very good lunch lady too."

Nomination: 'Mrs Gill is smiley and happy in any weather' - Amber Beech

Mrs Gill will find out if she has won the School Crossing Patrol of the Year competition at an awards ceremony on Thursday.

She said: "It is all about the children because they are the ones that nominated me.

"When I was told, it was wow - I couldn’t believe it. It is lovely and the children are so sweet."