Call Sign March 2004 - Page 21 - CALL SIGN AT THE MAD HATTERS PARTY/CAN YOU HELP DIAL-A-CAB'S MOONWALKER/STEVE NORRIS RESPONDS TO CALL SIGN EDITORIAL

CALL SIGN AT THE MAD HATTERS PARTY

Once again, Call Sign Magazine paid a visit to the most special party of the year in our eyes – the London Taxidrivers Fund for Underprivileged Children’s Mad Hatters Tea Party! Holding it on the same day as the DaC AGM didn’t make life easy, but we thought it would be worth rushing from Whitbread’s Brewery to Park Lane – and it most certainly was!
   DaC’s Mike Son, as Chairman of the LTFUC, was entitled to the huge grin on his face following the success of the party at the usual and magnificent venue of the Great Room at London’s Grosvenor House. Six hundred kids, together with parents and helpers spent four hours of great fun, which included dancing, eating and watching the great entertainment linked, as usual, by Black Diamond DJ, Dave Davis. The enjoyable Bournemouth Carnival Spiderman Band were there, together with American cheerleaders, singers, dancers, celebrity guests – such as boxer Colin Dunn, Millwall footballer Roger Ball and almost half the cast of Eastenders! But top of the bill again, as they were last year, were the incredibly popular Cheeky Girls, who performed their chart-topping hits. The two girl crackers then spent over two hours signing autographs and posing for photos in a queue that never ended! Just as last year, they turned no one down! Supporting the Cheekies was Elvis Shmelvis who went through several of the King’s hits!
   There were deserved presentations to Fund members – all of whom worked tirelessly throughout the show. Fund members from DaC included Fund Chairman Mike Son, Bill Tyzack (C6), Paul Barber (F60), Gerry Dunn (S84) and David Lessman (D19). The only absentee was Fund Secretary Malcolm Shaffron (D64), who was still in mourning for his mother who sadly passed away in the days leading up to the event.
   Among visitors to the party was DaC Chairman Brian Rice, who also dashed from the DaC AGM to join in the fun. Rumour has it that he polished of a plate of jam and chocolate spread sandwiches on his own! The PCO/TfL’s Roy Ellis and his wife also joined in along with many others from the trade. Everyone’s view was that this was a brilliant party…
   The Fund would like Call Sign to pass on their sincere thanks to Anthony Stewart-Moore, the Grosvenor House General Manager for his amazing help, without which the event could not have gone ahead…

The Cheeky Girls with Elvis Shmelvis

DaC trio of Mike Son and Bill Tyzack with their awards and Brian Rice in the centre.

Kids trying to ouch the Cheeky Girls – boy do they start young nowadays!

CAN YOU HELP DIAL-A-CAB’S MOONWALKER?
Pam Gadsdon, an Assistant Day Shift Supervisor in the DaC Call Centre, is entering the Playtex Moonwalk for Breast Cancer fund-raising event, which takes place on the night of Saturday May 15. For the first time, the Playtex Moonwalk will be moving from its previous Battersea Park site and the 13-mile hike with its 15000 participants – mainly women - will now take place in and around the streets of Hyde Park starting at 9pm and is likely to last around 6 hours. The competitors – 95% female - compete the event in their bras. When Call Sign met up with Pam, she said she was confident	DaC's Pam Gadson is doing the moonwalk to help in the battle against breast cancer. of completing the course without any problems as she had previously walked across all the London bridges in the cause of charity. Asked why she supports this particular cause, Pam told Call Sign that her father and mother-in-	law had both died from cancer, as well as friends. "I’m happy to raise whatever I can to help find a cure for this terrible disease," she said. Call Sign is sponsoring Pam for her first £50 and DaC Chairman Brian Rice has also pledged the support of the Board. So look out for Sponsorship Forms in the Driver’s Reception and please help Pam all you can in this worthy cause. If you would like to leave a cheque, it can be left for Call Sign who will be happy to pass it on. Please make it out to ‘Walk the Walk Worldwide’. Call Sign will report on Pam’s progress…

STEVE NORRIS RESPONDS TO
CALL SIGN’S EDITORIAL

This issue’s Editorial refers to a Conservative Central Office suggestion that cars with three or more passengers be allowed to use bus lanes. Call Sign Editor Alan Fisher calls the suggestion ridiculous and also asked whether CCO could overrule the Mayor? An advance copy of the Editorial was sent to Conservative Mayoral candidate Steve Norris for a response…
   "I don't personally support the idea of multiple occupancy private vehicles in bus lanes for the reasons you yourselves point out (see Editorial p3). Mind you, Mr. Blair seems to when he's coming back from the airport! We actually need simpler arrangements, not more complex ones that make enforcement impossible.
   On the subject of who should be in bus lanes, I've already said I will automatically allow taxis in bus lanes - including contraflows - unless there were very clear reasons not to do so. This would be London taxis only and not private hire.
   It is also a nonsense that drivers are being fined for setting down in this city. I do sometimes wonder if anyone in TfL or the mayor's office actually has a driving license.

Conservative Central Office has no control whatever over the Mayor. Neither would a Tory - or Labour - transport minister have any say about what I do UNLESS that minister introduced primary legislation."

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