Jobs

Maureen Hayter – school crossing patrol in St Albans

When a damaged back forced Maureen Hayter to end her nursing career, she embarked on a new life.

She moved house to St Albans and decided to look for part-time work. It wasn’t long before she found it - thanks to her daughter who heard there was a vacancy for a crossing patrol at her sons’ school and encouraged Maureen to apply.

It proved to be just the job. Following a couple of days’ on-the-job training with the county council’s school crossing patrol manager, Maureen has been seeing pupils of St Peter’s JMI school across Cotton Mill Road for more than 18 months now.

She says: “I absolutely love it. It gives me a purpose for the day and it’s so rewarding to see the children and their parents. It’s a lovely school. While I’m on duty I have to see other people across the road as well and they’re always pleased to see me – so I’ve made quite a lot of other friends.

Traffic is often heavy along Cotton Mill Road so Maureen needs to be constantly on the watch. “Most drivers are very co-operative and stop when I ask them to, but there have been one of two occasions when they haven’t, so it’s important to be very vigilant.

“You don’t feel isolated in this job. The crossing patrol manager visits regularly to see how we’re getting on and can always be contacted if there’s a problem. We also have paid training days.”

The working hours, 8 30am to 9.05 am and 3.00pm to 3.35pm every day during term time, suit Maureen. She has plenty of time to get out and about in St Albans during the school day and goes further afield in the school holidays.

Turning out to be on duty at 8.30am is no problem for her – whatever the weather. “We’re provided with waterproof trousers as well as jackets and, if it’s very cold, we can put warm clothes underneath. Sometimes the weather can be atrocious but it’s not very long to be outside and a cup of hot chocolate soon warms you up.”

When her grandsons leave the school Maureen will be staying. She says: “I love the job and, apart from my back problem, I’m pretty fit so I want to continue for as long as I can.”