‘It is such a nice thing to come out of something really horrible’
Stephanie Davies(Image: Submitted)
A lollipop lady who died after being hit by a bus whilst working outside a Salford school has been honoured almost two decades on. Stephanie Davies, 35, was on duty near Seedley County Primary School when a bus mounted the pavement and fatally struck her in September 2006.
Nearly 20 years later, Stephanie’s family say they are ‘really proud’ after it was announced they would be receiving the Elizabeth Emblem.
Introduced last year and named after the later Queen Elizabeth II, it is conferred by the monarch to the next of kin of public servants who died in the performance of their duty. It is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the armed forces who died in action.
Stephanie’s two sisters, Janette Hall, 55, and Diane Taylor, 49, were invited to Number 10 Downing Street on Wednesday (January 14) along with the families of two other latest recipients of the award.
“It is such a nice thing to come out of something really horrible” Janette told the Manchester Evening News. “We found out last week she was getting it and we only got the invite to Downing Street late on Friday night. We were all in shock. We’re just really, really proud of her..”
Stephanie’s sisters Janette Hall, (right) and Diane Taylor (left) outside Downing Street(Image: Submitted)
“It means so much to all of us that she’s been recognised” she continued. “It’s a real honour. People don’t think about being a lollipop person as a frontline job, but it is. It happened just a couple of minutes before the children came out of school.
“The loss of our sister was horrendous, but it could have been a lot worse. She was there to protect the children, and that’s what she did. So it’s also recognition of the importance of the job as well.”
Janette and Diane were given a tour of the Prime Minister’s official residence and offices, and met the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones.
Stephanie died in the horror crash in September 2006(Image: Submitted)
“It was just lovely to talk about her as we don’t get to do that much anymore Janette said. “I could have talked for hours about her. What happened was horrendous and the pain never goes away. You just learn to live with it. But even now we get upset about my sister. So to be given that opportunity to celebrate her and her life was just so lovely.”
Mr Jones told the BBC afterwards it was an ‘honour’ to meet the families. “Their loved ones dedicated themselves to public service and it is right that we honour them this way” he said. “They will be remembered for what they did to make our country a better place to live.”
Stephanie had been standing at traffic lights on Liverpool Street, Salford when the bus came ‘straight at her.’ Emergency services rushed to the scene, but the mum-of-two could not be saved.
Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones (3rd left), with (left to right) Gill Clark, Graeme Clark, Diane Taylor, Janette Hall, Mary Weaving and Kristina Penny, during the Downing Street reception(Image: PA)
Stephanie’s daughter attended the school and was preparing to finish for the day when the tragedy happened. Her husband, who had come to collect their daughter, was one of the first on the scene.
The driver was prosecuted and went on trial accused of causing death by dangerous driving following the crash. Prosecutors suggested the collision was a result of him being distracted after suffering a coughing fit just seconds beforehand. He was cleared of the charge after a judge at Minshull Street Crown Court directed the jury to find him not guilty.
Stephanie’s family will receive a silver, oval emblem with an inscription reading, “For a life given in service”, surrounded by a rosemary wreath – a symbol of remembrance, and a Tudor crown. Stephanie’s name will be inscribed on the reverse of the emblem.
The award Stephanie’s family will receive(Image: PA)
They are expected to receive the honour from a member of the royal family in due course.
Also invited to Downing Street were Gill and Graeme Clark, from Kent, who will receive the award on behalf of their 21 year-old daughter Alice, a newly qualified paramedic who died in an ambulance on January 5, 2022.
As were the family of Jonathan White, who died aged 28 on Christmas Day 1986, after he was seriously injured during an accident putting up Christmas lights. Mr White, who worked for Blackpool Borough Council, fell 30ft from a platform where he was putting up the display, and landed directly onto a road. An inquest ruled his death accidental, and the council accepted liability.
They are among 53 recipients of the emblem to be named this month, in the third list to be published since the emblem was established in March 2024.