Taxi Driver Online

Babs and cabs help UCH young to carry on
editorial@hamhigh.co.uk
17 November 2006
THE Queen of the Vic took a step back to her Carry On Nurse days when she was guest of honour at the children's ward at University College Hospital.

EastEnders star Barbara Windsor opened a new sensory room at the Euston hospital created with cash raised by the London Taxi Drivers' Fund for Underprivileged Children.

The historic fund, set up in 1928, contacted the hospital last year to offer its services and quickly raised the £8,700 needed for the room, which gives youngsters somewhere to escape the ward. Cabbies have also donated an overnight saturation monitor, used to check on children's blood.

Ms Windsor said: "Living in Marylebone, UCH is my local hospital so it's just nice to be visiting as a guest rather than as a patient. Hospitals can be a frightening place for anybody, but particularly for kids, and things like this can make it less daunting."

"I have known this site for years. I remember when it used to be a furniture shop 56 years ago when I did my first West End Show at the age of 13. I used to get the bus going past."

She was joined in her ribbon-cutting duties by Benbachuwe Tabase, an 11-year-old patient on the ward, and paid tribute to the cabbies who made it all possible.

"I love black cabs. I tried living in the countryside once but there were no taxis. I couldn't believe it. I had to move back. Growing up in the East End, lots of my friends went on to become cabbies so the fund really appealed to me."

Ward sister Annabel Simmonds described the completion of the project as "a dream come true".

"General paediatrics is the poor relative of the medical world so we are especially pleased to get the funding for this room. It is going to be brilliant for kids with developmental needs who can go in there and play with the lights and the toys and just get away for a while."

The room is painted with lively murals, designed by Karen George.

Also in attendance at the unveiling was Camden mayor Jill Fraser, who praised the "legendary" charitable work carried out by the taxi drivers.

The London Taxi Drivers' Fund for Underprivileged Children is already preparing for its next major event - a party for more than 700 London children at Grosvenor House in January.

o To find out more about the fund, which is run by 12 cabbies who give up their time for free, go to www.ltfuc.org.uk.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

We have the three war disabled outings, the kids Disney trip, the oap's Worthing trip, the underpriviledged childrens fund, the Taxi orphans fund, the Company of worshipfull Taxi drivers who have many charity events, the . . . . .

And what does the minicab industry contribute to any worthy charities?

Yep, farck all.

How about Terry the clown

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!