Call Sign February 2008 - Page 20 & Page 21 - THE LTFUC THROW THEIR BEST PARTY EVER!

*To celebrate their 80th birthday…* THE LTFUC THROW THEIR BEST PARTY EVER!
*Call Sign* felt honoured to be at the LTFUC 80th birthday celebrations at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Sunday 20 January and couldn’t help but wonder… whatever would Mick Cohen have made of it…? Mick Cohen grew up in the Norwood orphanage and later on in life became a cab driver. One of his ambitions was always to go back to Norwood to take some of the kids out on an outing in his cab. It was 1928, the year that UK women had their voting age reduced from 30 to 21, Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, Herbert Hoover was elected US President and a taxi charity to become known as the London Taxidrivers Fund for Underprivileged Children was to become a reality at, of all places, the Leicester Square taxi shelter! Mick had casually mentioned his idea of taking some orphans on a trip around London ending at London Zoo and hoped that 2 or 3 other drivers would take their cabs as well. Twelve other drivers turned up, allowing them to take almost fifty kids and teachers on the outing. So successful was the outing that the drivers decided to offer help to any children that might need it and the Fund was eventually registered as a charity. Then in 1931, the first outing to Southend and as they say, the rest is history – one littered with Dial-a-Cab drivers as well from Jack Taylor to Sam Harris to those among the current committee. But it really is a celebration for the trade as a whole. And we think that Mick Cohen would have been so proud on this, the Fund’s 80th birthday party with not just fifty, but around 600 children, parents, carers and teachers all having the time of their lives with enough food to sink a battleship, entertainment fit for a television spectacular and of course, Dave Davis’ disco. Among the acts on show were the truly spectacular Band of the Scots Guards, the UK street dancing champions Diversity, Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Damon Scott and his talking monkey Bubbles, extracts from every kids favourite movie, High School Musical from the Song Time School of Arts and an amazing laser show to music. Then, for their sixth successive year at the party The	Cheeky Girls - Monica and Gabriela - sang live with a set featuring all their hit records. Then there was the amazing robot, Titan, who thrilled the children by chasing them around the hall! Also there, one of the most amazing acts anywhere; also from Britain’s Got Talent, Donovan Jones and Rebecca Peache who together are known as Crazeehorse. Their slow motion power dance involving some incredible aerial balancing was nothing less than poetry in motion. It says much for the Fund that they returned from a gig in India to appear at the celebration. The Bournemouth Carnival Band were once again there along with the Margaret Howard Performers, the Stardance Club and the brilliant McGuire O’Shea Irish Dancers. It was just non-stop fun from 2pm until after 6. Also at the Grosvenor House was BBC London phone-in presenter Vanessa Feltz and her DJ fiancé Ben, who sang Happy Birthday to the Fund. Never was the tribute more deserved. After the party, LTFUC’s former Treasurer Gerry Dunn MBE (S84), told Call Sign: "It’s hard work, but when you look at the kid’s faces you can see why we love doing it." Fund Chairman, David Lessman (D19), agreed and told us with a sense of pride: "There is nothing that can beat the look of enjoyment a child has when they come to our party. I must also thank Raymond Levy for the quality of the acts he managed to get to appear on stage for us. It is truly remarkable." Raymond Levy, the Fund’s press contact, was his usual coy self refusing to accept the praise aimed in his direction and told Call Sign that it was the committee as a whole who made the day successful. Accepting finally that it was he who got the acts, he said that he also had to thank his wife Maureen for all the support and help she gives him. All in all, it was a day to remember and besides thanking all the acts, the management of the Grosvenor House Hotel deserve huge amounts of praise for their kindness in providing the ballroom. And of course, a very happy birthday from all at Dial-a-Cab and one final word – wherever you are, well done Mick Cohen…
The Band of the Scotts Guards thrilled everyone	Damon Scott and Bubbles, who did so well on Britain's Got Talent
The amazing Crazeehorse - poetry in motion	The Cheeky Girls with the cheeky boy!
DaC's Gerry Dunn is under arrest by Star Wars cops for wearing red and clashing with The Cheeky Girl's knickers!	Having a great time at the Grosvenor House Great Room

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