Call Sign May 1998

Report by Gerry Dunn MBE (S84)

Further to the recent success of the GOLD HEART Day, the London Taxi Drivers Fund for Underprivileged Children and the Variety Club of Great Britain presented the Whipps Cross Hospital 'Baby Boost Appeal' with an incubator and ventilator to the value of Ł22,000. This equipment will be used for babies weighing less than 1500 grams.
David Lessman, Vice Chairman of the LTDFUPC and myself as Appeals organiser, together with John Webber the Past Chief Barker of the Variety Club , were introduced to John Hall who is the Appeals Chairman of the Baby Boost Appeal and Julie Bisset, the Fund raising co-ordinator who showed them around the Maternity Unit and explained that without this life saving equipment, many babies would not survive.
When John Hall was asked how he had heard of the Fund, he explained that he was selling raffle tickets to an ex-Chairman of the Fund, Henry Walker, who suggested he contacted Gerry Dunn, the Appeals organiser of the Fund, who in turn would put the appeal to the committee. At the same time coincidentally, the Variety Club of Great Britain were looking for a way to promote their GOLD HEART DAY .

The incubator
David Lessman (D19) hands over the new incubator and ventilator to the doctor. Proudly watching is Gerry Dunn (S84)

A phone call from Dinah Beamont, a bubbly PR lady from SPA Partnership, the agency charged with promoting Gold Heart Day , asked if we could arrange for a few taxis to carry the Gold Heart Logos on their cabs for two months leading up to the big day, February 14th. We were inundated with volunteers who were willing to donate their cabs free of charge, providing that the Fund receives at least Ł20,000 for the Baby Boost Appeal. We chose twenty cabs and with the help of Mike Phillips of Taxi Media, we were on the road putting the message across.
The Fund and the Variety Club would like to thank all of the following drivers who unselfishly donated their time and energy to make this campaign a brilliant success:-
Gary Aronberg, Ken Freeborn, Malcolm Joyce, Graham Harrison,

John Mellish, Dave Wyatt, Ric Galloway, Jack Moss, Barney Fernandez, Alan Green, Roy Page, Carl Nolan, Michael Flack, Bill Tyzack, David Lessman, Laurence Berkof, Jimmy Ward, Malcolm Shaffron, and Raymond Levy. A very BIG thank you to all of them.
It was without doubt, the most successful campaign the Fund has ever been involved in, especially with the Whipps Cross Hospital where a great many Licensed taxi drivers’ families in the east of London use the Maternity facilities. It was explained to us that the life of one of these incubators and ventilators is up to fifteen years. Bearing in mind that in excess of 20,000 babies are delivered at Whipps Cross and about ten to fifteen per cent of babies have to use a incubator, this donation really is a life saver.
To all the drivers who bought a GOLD HEART a very big THANK YOU.

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