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720 ‘Mad Hatters’ enjoy the LTFUC party! |
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With a beautifully clear sky, even
if it was bitterly cold, an amazing 720 children arrived with their
coach parties accompanied by around 400 helpers, carers and parents
to enjoy yet another LTFUC Mad Hatters Tea Party at London’s
Grosvenor House Hotel. For so many years now, this hotel has
provided the Great Room at no cost and deserves a real thank
you. The Hon Chairman of the London Taxidrivers Fund for Underprivileged Children, David Lessman (D19), told Call Sign that they were thrilled by the huge turnout."We always invite more than we think will come because invariably some groups just can’t make it. This year everyone came and it was just wonderful!" LTFUC committee member Gerry Dunn MBE (S84), was beginning to lose his voice when Call Sign asked him how he thought things were going? "When you see a child with a smiling face, you can’t help but feel happy. When you see 720 of them having the time of their lives, how can you not get a real buzz. It was just brilliant and well worth losing my voice for!" Dial-a-Cab Chairman Brian Rice came along with his wife Brenda, daughter Carla and son Billy with his girlfriend Sam. Brian echoed Gerry Dunn’s sentiments and called it a remarkable event that has brought so much obvious happiness to so many young kids. The only other member of the cab trade – other than the press ranks - that Call Sign saw was RTG Chairman Geoffrey Riesel with his wife Jackie and grandson Freddy. They too thought the event was magnificent. |
The Mad Hatter’s Ball always has guest
stars and this year’s event must have seen a record number with
The Cheeky Girls again topping the bill with a 20-minute live
set. In addition, there were songs from X-Factor favourite
Austin Drage and many others, including the brilliant
Songtime Theatre Arts High School Musical 2, which had
most of the 720 children gathered round while they went through
their repertoire! Also on the bill and as always, introduced by Dave Davis, was Jailhouse rocker, Elvis Shmelvis and members of the always-present Bournemouth Carnival Band. There were huge cheers for guest appearances from the cast of Eastenders – except for Nasty Nick (John Altman) who was roundly booed! That’ll teach him to keep picking on Dot! Also among the Albert Square crowd was I’m a celebrity, get me out of here winner, Joe Swash. Also making appearances were actress Shirley Ann Field, brilliant illusionist Bharat Patel, TV’s Gladiators, James Bond and Tenko actor Bert Kwouk, Strike Force from Britains Got Talent, ‘Summer Wine actress Linda Baron and the UK street dancing champions, Diversity. One final guest - to the astonishment of those watching - was BeeGees legend Robin Gibb, who popped in to say hello. He told Call Sign that he was absolutely astonished that London taxi drivers had arranged the event. "Now I can understand why they call them the best," he said! All in all, the whole event was nothing less than the best… |
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 Having a good time or what! |
 BeeGee Robin Gibb with former Call Sign writer (and Gerry Dunn’s daughter) Lisa with son Jamie |
 Eastenders ‘Nasty Nick’ (John Altman) says hello to some now-happy kids who had just booed his character! |
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 Tom Whitbread with two young children from Northern Ireland |
 Brian Rice and family |
 Dave Davis with Gladiators Enigma and Doom |
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 Elvis Shmelvis with the Cheeky Girls |
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HARRY HIZER AND THE SPURS! |
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 Harry’s Big Day! Captains Ledley King (o/r) and Everton’s Phil Neville. Harry is the mascot in white On 30th November 2008,
Tottenham Hotspur weren’t just playing against the
Toffeemen of Everton, but they were led out by Spurs captain
Ledley King together with Harry Hizer, the 6-year old son
of Dial-a-Cab champion parking ticket collector, Martin Hizer
(M47). |
first. Unfortunately, Harry was wearing football
boots with studs that made him slightly taller than the next
smallest, a young girl named Phoebe. However, when ultra-pushy
Martin virtually forced Harry to swap boots for training shoes, the
natural order was restored and Harry went out with captain Ledley. Obsessive father? Judge for yourself HERE and listen to an ultra-proud dad! You may never have heard a football commentary like this before! Ok, so Everton’s Steven Pienaar scored to earn Everton a narrow victory, but nothing was going to spoil Harry’s big day – or listening to that commentary on u-tube – Martin’s day! Either way, well done Harry… |
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Eloise collects her £200 |
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Call Sign promised the winners of its
Christmas card competition for children up to the age of ten that
they would have their £200 prize money in time to spend for the big
day and we were true to our word. Because the standard was so high and the judges – Call Centre Manager Keith Cain and Brian Rice’s PA Jacqui Chart – found choosing a winner very difficult, Call Sign added a second and third prize of £60 and £40 respectively. Eventually they chose the top three with Eloise Heatley just taking top spot from Tom Hannah and Gracie Washington – who at just five years old looks to be a future winner! Speaking to Call Sign after |
 Eloise collects Call Sign’s £200 prize from Brian Rice
receiving her cheque from DaC
Chairman Brian Rice, Eloise told us that she would like to be
a doctor one day and no, she wouldn’t e sharing the money with her
two sisters! We think she may have been joking about that bit! |
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