RECORDS GALORE
It is easy to overlook the performance of the Call Centre in a successful
year. Drivers acknowledge that they have all the account work they want, but how does it
get to you? The answer is through the nimble fingers and quick talking of the staff in the
Call Centre who have been taking telephone calls by the sack-load this year! The current
record month - other than Christmas - was March (which will probably be broken very soon)
when the staff handled an amazing 182,289 calls! June’s total was unavailable at the
time of going to print - probably because the month wasn’t over at the time of
writing! However, on June 11th the Call Centre dealt with the highest 24 hour
number of calls in the history of the Society when an amazing 8406 calls passed through
the system.
The only question is: How long before those record totals are broken if not
already…!
DAC DRIVERS HELP SICK AND PREMATURE BABIES
At 6pm on Wednesday 3rd June at Lincoln's Inn Fields, Dial-a-Cab drivers Bob Woodford (P49), Phil Stem (B98) and Paul Bishop (R64) led a convoy of 20 black cabs - including a rare open topped model and some vintage taxis - on a unique treasure hunt around London for the BLISS Legal Knowledge Challenge. Inside the cabs, teams totalling approximately 80 solicitors, barristers and clerks from some of London's leading law firms, pitted their wits against each other for the coveted first prize. Each team had paid £500 for the privilege and all funds were donated to BLISS (Baby Life Support Systems) - the UK’s leading charity for sick, new-born and premature babies.
Thanks to Bob, Paul and Phil's efforts and because each cabby donated their time free of charge to BLISS, the hope is that at least £10,000 will be raised to buy essential baby life-saving equipment for neonatal units in the London area. BLISS currently has requests for urgently needed equipment totalling nearly £300,000 from the West Middlesex, Lewisham, Homerton, Newham General, Whittington, Greenwich District, Ealing and University College Hospitals.
Phil and Bob who are long-standing supporters of BLISS, are also running in the New York Marathon in November in aid of the charity. Phil Stern told What’s On:
"This is a charity very close to our hearts. The biggest challenge a baby faces when it is born with problems, is whether there are enough facilities to ensure that it has the best chance of healthy survival. By supporting the BLISS Legal Knowledge Challenge, Bob, Paul and I hope that we will have helped many more babies on their way to good health."
GERRY PATMORE AT THE ROYAL HOSPITAL HONOURING CHARLES II
On Thursday June 4th, Dial-a-Cab driver Gerry Patmore (A17) was honoured to be
invited to the famous Founders Day Parade at Chelsea’s Royal Hospital. The founder
was King Charles II (1630 - 1685) who built the hospital for his "old" soldiers
to show gratitude for their bravery in doing battle for him. The architect was Sir
Christopher Wren who based the design on Louis XIV’s Hotel des Invalides in Paris.
The salute at the parade was taken by HRH Prince Edward with music by the
Band of the Grenadier Guards. All present wore an oak-leaf in their tunics following on
from the custom dating back to 1651 when Charles II, while hiding from his enemies
following the Battle of Worcester, found refuge in a large Oak tree.
Gerry did his basic training with the Middlesex Regiment and was then
transferred to the Queens’ Surreys from where he was sent out to the Far East
including Singapore and Hong Kong.
Gerry entered the Hospital grounds in his DAC taxi with his ex-Sergeant Major
in the back. When it was time to leave, Gerry was told by the gate keeper that he thought
Gerry was going to drop his passenger and then drive straight back out again! Had he
known, he would have had to park outside!!!
Gerry Patmore with RH Pensioner
