Teenager becomes Walsall’s youngest SCP

A teenager has become Walsall Council’s youngest school crossing patrol (SCP) officer (Walsall Chronicle).

19-year-old Ben Jeffrey, who had previously been doing bar and retail work, is working five days a week outside Ryders Hayes School.

Ben said: “I wanted a job working with children and the council as my grandad used to work for the council and said it was a good career. It’s a job for all ages.”

However, Ben is not Walsall’s youngest ever SCP – the council has previously employed an 18-year-old in the role.

Of Walsall’s 80 SCPs, 62 are under the age of 65, proving it’s not just the elderly who take the role.

Steve Sharma, Walsall Council, said: “The age of wardens is getting younger. This may be due to the economic climate. The youngest (current) warden is 19-years-old and the oldest is 78-years-old.”