For almost 100 years, taxi drivers have been giving up their time to give vulnerable children and young people a special day out.
In many towns and cities, the annual taxi outing is a red-letter day in the calendar, with many heading to the seaside to help youngsters enjoy a special day out.
On Wednesday, Liverpool Taxi Drivers Children in Care Outing completed its 41st trip, with youngsters enjoying a fantastic day at Southport’s Adventure Coast theme park.
Special send-off
As always, the event began with a parade from Liverpool with taxis decorated from top to bottom to help make the occasion even more special, and giving drivers the chance of winning one of the prizes for having the best-dressed taxis.
Outing fund treasurer and taxi driver Bernie Buxton, who turned 81 in June, thanked drivers for making it another special day for the children.
He said: “It was another brilliant day out and was fantastic to see the children having such a good time at Adventure Coast.
“This year’s outing was full of special guests and was attended by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool and the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside.
“We couldn’t do this without the drivers – including one who came all the way from London – as well as the sponsors and all the fundraisers who have been working on this for the past year to make it happen and make it a special occasion.”
The fund’s first outing was to Blackpool Illuminations in 1985 and since then, youngsters have enjoyed days out at Morecambe, Butlins at Pwllheli, Camelot, Southport and even Euro Disney.
Special occasions
Throughout the summer, taxi drivers from across the UK have been treating vulnerable youngsters to similar days out.
The Glasgow Taxi Outing Fund – dubbed the Taxi to Troon – has been taking children on a day trip to the seaside since 1945 and celebrated its 80th anniversary this year when more than 125 taxis taking helped 350 children enjoy a special day out.
The Edinburgh Taxi Outing has been running since 1947 and takes children with additional needs, life-limiting conditions and terminal illnesses. The taxis gathered at Edinburgh Zoo where the best-dressed taxis and drivers were announced, before leaving under police escort through the city and along the coast.
The London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children has been operating for 97 years, taking children on outings and providing other assistance. This year, 65 taxi drivers took more than 200 special needs children and their families to a special day at Hertfordshire Zoo.
And later this year, the Magical Taxi Tour (The Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers) will see a convoy of licensed London taxis take 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 Disney Paris.
As well as vulnerable children, taxi drivers continue to go out of their way for people of all ages. They provide free fares to veterans attending Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday services, and The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans provides international trips to Holland, Belgium and France for D-day commemorations, day trips to concerts or museums, transport to attend fundraising events, as well as special days out to help veterans catch up with friends and comrades. The charity was formed in Fulham in 1948 and continues to support and honour those who fought for their country.
