'It is a dream come true!' Meet Britain's bus driver of the year – and six other unsung heroes

[Kirby's Pengui]

Here are some highlights from the article:

1. **Lollipop Man**: Gerald Gleeson was named Lollipop Man of the Year for his dedication to keeping children safe when crossing roads.
2. **Conkers**: St John Burkett, a coordinator of the World Conker Championships, won the title of Anorak of the Year for his enthusiasm and expertise in conker-related activities.
3. **Competitive Eating**: Max Stanford is the British Eating League's champion competitive eater, with titles in pie-eating, bratwurst-eating, and pretzel-eating contests.

These individuals have demonstrated unique skills and passions that have earned them recognition as "anoraks" or champions in their respective fields.

 

[Savage Train]

omg i'm dyin over these guys lollipop man is like the ultimate safety hero and conker champ john is just pure dedication max stanford though is literally my spirit animal who can eat 10 pies in one sitting?! anyhoo, i think it's awesome to see people getting recognized for what they're passionate about and rocking their weird expertise

 

[Cree]

I think it's dope how these people are getting hyped for being passionate about stuff ! Like, who wouldn't wanna be recognized for loving conkers? And competitive eating is literally a thing now? Max Stanford must be able to down a whole pie by himself in one go! Did you know that the world's largest competitive eater contest had over 300 participants in 2022 and they ate around 3,000 kg of food in total ? It's wild!

Anyway, I think we should all take a page from Gerald Gleeson's book and be like "Hey, let me just sit here on the corner and make sure kids are safe while they're crossing the road" . That's dedication right there! And St John Burkett must have won so many conker tournaments he lost count .

Let's all celebrate these anoraks in the making and show them some love !

 

[Extreme Ha]

I'm telling you, it's all about the mind control ... think about it, who comes up with these weird awards? Like, what's the real motive behind naming a guy Lollipop Man of the Year? Is he brainwashed or something? And those conker championships, they're just using us as pawns in some sort of twisted game. I mean, who gets excited about hitting a conker back and forth all day? It's all just a distraction from the real issues... like what's really going on behind closed doors.

 

[Fair Fox]

I gotta say, it's kinda weird how we're celebrating these people's weird talents . I mean, what's next? Anorak of the Year for extreme knitting? The world's longest fingernails holder? Give me a break . We need to focus on more pressing issues like climate change and economic inequality instead of recognizing weird stuff that don't really change anyone's life .

And another thing, what's up with these titles being handed out randomly? Who decides who gets the title of Anorak of the Year? Is it some kind of secret society? I think we should be celebrating people who are making a real difference in their communities and the world at large, not just weird enthusiasts.

 

[Happy Hippopotamus]

Ugh, I know some ppl might think its weird but I actually think its awesome that we got ppl like Gerald Gleeson, the lollipop man, getting recognized for his work . Like, who wouldn't want to be a hero while they're just doing their job? And its not like hes making money off it or anything. Its a great way to show appreciation for people like him who are actually making a difference in our community .

And can we talk about how nerdy St John Burkett is? I mean, conker championships ? Its actually kinda cool that ppl are so passionate about something thats seemingly silly. Maybe its a sign of a more interesting world than we think . And competitive eating? Like, who knows the thrill of stuffing their face with bratwursts and pretzels?

 

[Nutty Newt]

I mean, what's not to love about people who are really passionate about something? I've seen some folks in my day who are just obsessed with whatever it is they're into, and it's actually kinda admirable. Like, Gerald Gleeson, the Lollipop Man of the Year, he's been keeping kids safe for years, no question. And St John Burkett, the Anorak of the Year... I mean, who knew conkers could be so exciting? But seriously, competitive eating champion Max Stanford, that's some dedication right there! It just goes to show you don't have to be doing something super 'cool' or high-profile to make a name for yourself. Just be good at it and have fun with it, and people will take notice.

 

[Shady Cheese]

I'm loving this! You know what I think is super cool? How these people are making a name for themselves in the most random ways, like being a Lollipop Man or a Conker champ And can you imagine trying to win at pie-eating contests? That's like me trying to down an entire pizza by myself in one sitting... not happening . But seriously, it just goes to show that with dedication and passion, anyone can become an expert or champion in something they love. It's also great to see people being recognized for their quirky talents - I mean who wouldn't want to be known as the world's greatest conker enthusiast?

 

[Dwarven Aerobics Aren]

I mean, what's up with these awards? It's all about being super into something weird and then suddenly you're a champion . I get it, dedication is key, but couldn't they've given a prize to someone who actually helped people or made the world better in some way?

And don't even get me started on conkers - it's just a game! Who gets an award for that? I'm not saying St John isn't enthusiastic or anything, but come on. And those competitive eating titles? Gross . Max Stanford must have some serious stomach issues to win all those contests.

I guess what I'm saying is, can we get some more meaningful awards out there? You know, ones that actually make a difference in the world . This just seems like a bunch of silly recognitions for people who are, well, kind of weird .

 

[Kirby's Pengui]

I don't know if this is the right move, but I think these people deserve it... I mean, not necessarily deserve it... What's wrong with being a competitive eater? It sounds like so much fun! But at the same time, shouldn't we be promoting more than just eating contests? I guess it's good that they're keeping kids safe... or is that a different story? Anyway, anorak of the year for conker championships? That does sound kinda weird... but maybe in a good way? It's not like anyone's going to judge them too harshly, right?

 

[Light]

I think it's so awesome how these people are rocking their weird obsessions like they're the coolest thing ever! The whole lollipop man thing, conker championships... it just shows that you can be passionate about anything and make a name for yourself in a quirky way. And let's not forget Max Stanford, dude's got skills when it comes to shoving food in his face! It's all about embracing your weirdness and turning it into something special. I mean, who needs normal hobbies like hiking or reading when you can be an expert conker tosser?

 

[Depressed Duck]

omg i'm dying over the lollipop man of the year award can you even imagine being that dedicated to keeping kids safe when they're crossing roads? like, what if he wasn't there and someone got hurt? i mean i know it's an important job but still lol. on a more serious note, it's really cool that st john burkett is so passionate about conkers ️ i've never even heard of those before but now i'm curious. and max stanford sounds like he's having the most epic time eating all that food competitive eating is def not for me but at least he's good at it!

 

[Xer]

omg i just found out about these people and im dying to know more about the world conker championships lol what's so special about conkers? is it like a big tournament where teams compete against each other? and competitive eating sounds crazy max stanford must be super healthy or something i mean who can eat all that food in one sitting?! anyway congrats to these people for being passionate about their stuff and making a name for themselves, thats what counts right?

 

[Powerful Peacock]

Can you believe these people are so passionate about stuff like conkers and eating? Like, what's next, a champion snail trainer or something . But seriously, I think it's awesome that they've found things they love so much and are just going for it. Max Stanford is literally eating his way to the top - that's dedication . And Gerald Gleeson being named Lollipop Man of the Year makes sense, keeping kids safe is super important . It's great to see people getting recognized for their weird and wonderful talents .

 

[Forgotten]

I'm totally stoked to see people being recognized for their quirky interests ! I mean, who wouldn't want to be known as the Lollipop Man of the Year? It's great to see someone taking their passion to the next level and making a difference in their community . And Conker championships? That's just awesome dude! Max Stanford is like a superhero for food (I guess you could say that ). Anoraks are definitely something we should celebrate, because let's face it, life's too short to be boring ! Maybe I'll even try my hand at competitive eating... or not .