Lockdown reflections – staff stories – David Bowen – helping keep our children safe

Name: David Bowen

Age: 71 years

From: Kirkwall

Job title: School Crossing Patrol Officer

Years of employment with OIC: From October 2019 at Carters Park then covering at Glaitness Primary from September 2020 and confirmed from November 2020 till now.

Duties:

Taking young children and parents across the road at Carters Park for children attending Papdale Primary School and then I travel over to Muddisdale Road to help the youngsters and parents cross over the road to Glaitness Primary School.

How have lockdown and restrictions changed things for you workwise?

During the first lockdown there was no road traffic patrols. During this recent lockdown the job didn’t change as there was still small numbers of children attending each school.  The numbers were a lot less than normal and the traffic was quieter.  It’s great to see the children all back now and to see how they have grown over that time. 

How has life changed personally since lockdown?

As a musician I suppose the main difference was that I could no longer play for dancing at the various venues throughout Scotland and I couldn’t have music pupils to the house or travel to Sanday to play with the Belkies. 

How have you found the public’s reaction to changes?

I think up here in Orkney the majority of the public did what they were told by the government and that has made a significant difference to the number of ‘Covid’ cases up here.

What are you looking forward to most when restrictions end?

Being able to go for a pint on a Friday to some of our regular hostelries and start playing my accordion again at dances.