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153 smiling kids together with
almost 100 drivers and helpers made the annual pilgrimage
with the Children’s Magical Taxi Tour to the Disneyland
Resort, Paris on Friday 23 September courtesy of the
organising skills of the Worshipful Company of Hackney
Carriage Drivers. As usual, Dial-a-Cab
drivers were plentiful among the volunteers who collected
the children from homes and hospitals throughout London and
the Home Counties to get them back to Cabot Square by 7.30am
for their pre-journey breakfast.
Then it was time to go. The three-mile long convoy took the
children - most with life threatening illnesses – on their
trip of a lifetime courtesy of P&O Ferries. Joining the kids
and helpers were doctors, nurses, paramedics, police
officers from four forces, ambulance crews, the AA and for
the first time on this side of the Channel, the French
Gendarmerie National Police who travelled with two bikes and
a car. Heightened security was in evidence - although the
children couldn’t have cared less! They were there for one
thing only!
The first leg of the journey to Dover was fast and uneventful
thanks the Met police, aided by outriders from the Kent
County Constabulary who then guided them onto the ferry. A
quick lunch and raid of the ‘Duty Free’ shop and the group
were in la belle France.
At Calais, the rest of the Gendarmerie escorted the convoy to Paris
from where French CRS outriders took them onto the
Disneyland resort. So after around 240 miles and a ferry
ride from E14C, a huge cheer told everyone that the convoy
had arrived!
They stayed at Disney’s Hotel |
Dial-a-Cab drivers on the Disney trip waiting for the ferry
London Marriott West India Quay doorman Robert waves off a
young lady
One of the helpers introduces a young boy to Minnie Mouse
Cheyenne, which is laid out like a
typical ‘Wild West’ town with buildings named after
well-known figures from the American old west.
At breakfast, several Disney characters wandered round talking to
the children before the big moment arrived - the shuttle
buses to Disneyland and a day that will never be forgotten
by those 153 children.
DaC’s Jim Rainbird (T25) told Call Sign: "The kids always
have a great time and this year was no exception. They took
the place by storm! It was just amazing…"
All finance necessary for this amazing event comes via
donation or fund raising activities held throughout the
year. The Company would also like to thank everyone who
helped to make this such a special weekend. |
