Supporting the Magical Taxi Tour Charity
Panoptics supports the Magical Taxi Tour charity giving sick children a Disneyland Paris weekend treat.
On Friday 18th September 2015, one of London’s most unique annual charity events took place when a convoy of licensed London taxis transported more than 200 children, suffering from a range of chronic debilitating illnesses and life limiting conditions, on a three-day trip of a lifetime to Disneyland Resort Paris®.
Organised annually, by the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers, this event is only possible with the help of sponsors who generously give towards the £1,400 per taxi necessary to meet the expenses of hotel, fuel, food and admission charges. Each taxi driver gives their time and use of their vehicles freely for a worthy cause close to their hearts.
Panoptics’ Technical Director, Andrew Lang with his wife Victoria sponsored 2 taxis and Panoptics sponsored an additional taxi taking children and their carers to Disneyland Paris for the weekend. The Charity came to the attention of Andrew and Victoria when they chatted to taxi drivers on a ferry some years ago during a similar weekend trip. They always vowed to support the charity and sponsored a taxi themselves in addition to the Panoptics taxi through donations made by friends and family at their 2014 marriage in place of a traditional wedding list.
The Lord Mayor of the City of London met the Magical Taxi tour team and supporters at Canary Wharf to officially start the trip. He cut the ribbon at 8am releasing a convoy of around 90 taxis over several miles long, including the City of London Police escorts, Gendarmerie Nationale, London Ambulance NHS Trust vehicles and AA breakdown trucks. The convoy from Canary Wharf made its way to Dover Eastern Docks embarking on a P&O Ferry crossing to Calais, France on Friday lunchtime. The wet weather made for a slightly bumpy crossing at Sea although the sunshine came out with two glorious rainbows during the afternoon.
At the fuel stop in France, staff give the children a warm welcome every year. They dress up, make cakes and drinks for the children and carry out face painting. Many of them come to work on their day off simply to give the children a lovely break on a long journey. Arriving at 8pm Friday evening, dinner is served to everyone in the ‘Chuck Wagon’ before bedtime.
Following the Saturday spent at Disneyland, where the children visited highlights such Disney’s Princess Castle and many more the fun day is completed with a gala party held for the children on the evening, before the journey home on Sunday.
The Magical Taxi Tour has bought moments of great joy and happiness to many sick children over the years. To find out how to donate or how to sponsor a Taxi on the next trip visit magicaltaxitour.com