Estate agent pops up to help out (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Estate agents Savills pops up to help out

3:02pm Tuesday 26th February 2013 in News By Alexandra Rucki

Estate agents are preparing to stump up the cash to pay for two lollipop ladies.

Savills, in in Huguenot Place, Wandsworth, will fund the lollipop women who serve crossings at Honeywell School, in Honeywell Road, Battersea.

Wandsworth Council is axing the School Crossing Patrol (SCP) service which previously provided for 44 sites in the borough, making a saving of  £198,000.

Mobile phone provider TalkTalk agreed last year to sponsor a team of lollipop men and women for 11 crossings, while some schools are paying for the service themselves.

The proposal to remove the service caused outrage among parnets who feared for the safety of their children.

Parents at Honeywell School campaigning to save the lollipop ladies approached Savills in desperation, after councillors voted to slash the service.

The estate agents agreed to provide the service for two years, while parents managed to raise £10,000 to support the service within a week.

Florence Brocklesby, a parent at the school, said: "Honeywell parents have been incredible.They raised £10,000 in just over a week, both parents and Savills have done a wonderful job.

"It is something at our school parents are really passionate about. More than 400 parents signed petition.

"We can see that by the fact they donated so generously, setting a precedent for a Wandsworth school. It shows how much they value the service."

Emma Seaton, director at Savills, said: "We are delighted to get on board - we think it is so important for all of the children locally.

"We are going to support the school in anyway we can."

Savills will provide a uniform displaying their business on the SCP uniform and are planning to make lollipop sweets for the children.