My husband did a kids charity taxi thing from london to Hastings yesterday and was telling me what a brilliant day it was (despite the lack of sunshine).
They had to meet at 6.30 am at Charlton FC where they were given balloons and posters etc to decorate their cabs...followed by a huge breakfast in the banqueting suite, all served to them. He ended up sitting next to the mayor....They then met the kids and carers they were taking....he only had 1 kid and one carer cos of the wheelchair taking up most of the room in the taxi. The convey of about 50 cabs then had a police escort from the football ground all the way to the M25...and cos the locals know it happens every year they were out lining the streets waving them off. They stoppped again about 30 miles outside Hastings at some place with a picnic ground and a lake and the kids had something to eat then they were picked up by the Sussex police and again had a police escort into Hastings where he said again there were loads of people lining the streets to greet them...they did an parade round Hastings before parking up. The kids and carers went off for a couple of hours to do their on thing while the drivers amused themselves,,,in his case fish and chips and pub with all the others for a good old chinwag. Threy met up again with the kids etc in the afternoon and then the convoy moved on to St Leonards where there was a disco and food set up for the kids and carers in a big hall...and a barbecue out the back for all the drivers...so he had another good feed. That wrapped up about 6pm and so he then drove the child home before dropping off the carer and coming home completely knackered....he'd had to use the ramps on his cab more times in one day than he had in the preceeding 4 years since he had it.
He said it was a brilliant day and he'll definitely be doing it again next year.
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this year was the 66th year of the Glasgow taxi outing to Troon .. they fundraise through the year for it and about 150 drivers give their day to take the kids to the coast . They have a taxi drivers fancy dress competition ( and conga line! ) as part of the day , 
