10. 13th September 2019

The 26th Children’s Magical Tour Send Off  Breakfast
with the Royal British Legion Band

“One of the highlights of my Year” (a Master). “It’s hard to explain this to anyone who has not been here “ (a Livery Company Clerk). “It gives you goose bumps” (a Canary Wharf Security Guard ).

The alarm went off at 4.50am . I was ready to leave by the time the minicab arrived at 5.30 , and off we went to the East Wintergarden at Canary Wharf for the send off Breakfast for the 26^th Children’s Magical Taxi Tour to Disneyland near Paris. This wonderful initiative saw 120 licensed London Taxi Cabs taking sick and terminally ill children for two nights to Disneyland. One of the taxis was sponsored by the Water Conservators.

The Water Conservators ‘ Taxi

The organisation and logistics of the event are breathtaking, as is the dedication and professionalism of all those who are involved on the day in the organisation and smooth running of the send off. Within one hour and five minutes a full English cooked breakfast is served to around 600 guests, all the while with a band from the British Legion playing at the Balcony level until they came down to join all the guests just before the Lord Mayor Locum Tenens Andrew Parmley delivered the most wonderful, optimistic, humourous, enthusiastic short speech, perfectly suited to the occasion.

Then it was off to “find your cab “!

I found ours without too much difficulty although more by luck than good judgment. Our cab was number 10, so I figured that it was likely to be near the front. Having failed to find it amongst the front cab in the queue, I thought that I would renew my search, starting at the back! And there I found it!

Taxi Driver Dean Usher and our Taxi

I chatted for a while to the driver of our  cab – Dean Usher. He was not involved in this year’s Magical Taxi Tour until 36 hours before departure. One of his friends had been planning to do the drive , but had gone down with food poisoning. So Dean had stepped up to fill the driver vacancy.

And so at around 7.05am , with a wailing of sirens from the Gendarmerie Nationale , and City of London Police escorts, the convoy moved off from Canary Wharf – three miles long, 120 taxis , four ambulances ,  and Road Assistance Recovery Vehicles – all with hooters hooting and claxons sounding – so many waves from the back of each cab , and so many smiles.

Police Outriders lead the way
at the start of the 3 mile convoy

I found myself standing on the pavement next to a Canary Wharf Security Guard; I looked sideways at his face ; he was smiling with such a broad open grin . Some minutes later I looked across again; he was still smiling and waving at the taxis.

“It gives you goose bumps “ he said.