Wychwoods salute stalwart lollipop lady (From Oxford Mail)

Wychwoods salute stalwart lollipop lady

6:38pm Monday 13th July 2009 in

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PARENTS have praised a lolli-pop lady who has helped children safely cross the road for 25 years – with only one day off for a hospital appointment!

Rita Puschnik was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago, but it did not stop the 56-year-old grandmother helping pupils over the roads around Wychwood Primary School, in Milton Road, Shipton-under-Wychwood.

Mrs Puschnik started as a lollipop lady and lunch time supervisor when her two children, Mark, now 34, and Tracey, now 36, were at the school.

Since then, she has seen thousands of pupils pass through the school gates on her patrol – and has been described as being at the “heart of the community”.

Mrs Puschnik, of Milton-under-Wychwood, said: “I have enjoyed every minute of it.

“The children come, they leave and then I am crossing their children.

“I know them all very well, I know most of the parents by name — it’s a lovely community.”

Today, Mrs Puschnik – who is now is remission from her cancer – will be guest of honour at a special ceremony to mark her quarter-century landmark.

She added: “I enjoy helping children across the road and being outdoors. I don’t mind the weather, you just get on with it.

“You really miss it at the school holidays — I really miss coming down here and seeing the parents.”

Duncan Spence, headteacher at Wychwood Primary School, said: “We are very lucky to have someone like Rita. She has helped generations of people cross the road.

“She is at the heart of our community and we would like to add the thanks of the entire school to those of the county council for all those years of service.”

School crossing patrol supervisor Sian Gibbons added: “Rita is always very friendly, always smiling – a real pleasure to work with.

“Rita is such a dedicated person, you can guarantee she will be there as she is so enthusiastic about her job.”

Tony O’Reilly-Brookes, whose five-year-old daughter Freya goes to the village school, said: “We would certainly miss her if she wasn’t here.”