You will be aware that the then Duchess of Cornwall, now Her Majesty the Queen, has been the Patron of the LTCFC since 2010. Before King Charles III Investiture, I was delighted to have received an invitation to view the Coronation Procession at the grandstand opposite Buckingham Palace on the 6th May 2023, representing the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children. In addition, I was pleased to be informed that I could nominate four other guests to attend. My wife Maxine, our LTCFC Honorary Secretary Malcolm, and his wife Evelyn, and Claire Zazzara our LTCFC Appeals Liaison, accepted the invitations.
Those who may have attended this historical event or watched it on TV will know it was an extremely wet day. However, members of the security teams gave all of the guests ponchos, therefore it did not dampen our spirits however we did get a bit wet. The view from the grandstand opposite Buckingham Place was fantastic. So many guests commented on the privilege of observing such a historical and spectacular procession in such a prime location.
My wife and I were delighted to receive another invitation: to attend the Buckingham Palace Coronation Garden Party on 9th May 2023 and I was able to nominate another couple to accompany us.
I was extremely pleased that our new LTCFC Chairman, Antony Moore and his wife Karen accepted the invitation. The weather was glorious, and it was a wonderful opportunity to speak to other guests about their charities, organisations and companies. It was also gratifying to know that so many people were very aware of the activities of our charity. The Prince and Princess of Wales hosted the event. During the afternoon, Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester joined the event. Representing the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children and London’s taxi industry was a privilege.
Having stepped down three months ago as Chairman, I was incredibly pleased that committee member Antony Moore took on this position. With the support of the committee and his stewardship together with our new Honorary Treasurer, Colin Greaves, the charity will continue assisting special needs and disadvantaged children as it has since 1928. I have taken on a new role as an Executive Officer and look forward to more exciting responsibilities with my fellow committee members.
Kind regards