Rye’s own chauffeur, George Thompson, is preparing to swap his usual local journeys for one of the most extraordinary taxi rides of the year taking a seriously ill child, a parent and a sibling on a trip of a lifetime to Disneyland Paris.
The story behind the tour goes back more than thirty years. It was the idea of London taxi driver Phil Davis, who was chairman of the charitable trust of the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers. Following the opening of Disneyland Paris in 1992, Davis wondered whether London’s cab trade could give seriously ill children and their families something very special to look forward to: a few days away from hospitals, appointments and treatment and the chance simply to enjoy being a family.
The first Magical Taxi Tour took place in 1994 and was originally intended to be a one-off. Around 50 taxis took approximately 100 children on that first adventure. But the response from the children, families and hospitals was so positive that the drivers decided the magic had to continue. It has since become an annual event and thousands of children have made that memorable journey to France.
Around 100 London taxis take part, forming a convoy that stretches for more than three miles. The taxis are accompanied by police escorts, medical teams and breakdown vehicles. City of London Police help escort the convoy in Britain before their French counterparts, the Gendarmerie Nationale, take over in France.
For anyone watching from a bridge or roadside, the sight of mile after mile of taxis travelling together is unforgettable. But inside each cab is the real reason for the journey, a child and family being given the opportunity to make some very happy memories together.
The drivers donate their time and the use of their taxis, while sponsorship and fundraising help meet the considerable cost of fuel, accommodation, meals and admission to Disneyland Paris. For George Thompson, better known locally as the Rye Chauffeur, this year’s journey will be particularly special as it marks his fourth Magical Taxi Tour.
George will be responsible for his young passenger, together with a parent and sibling, throughout an adventure that begins long before they reach the gates of Disneyland. For families whose lives can revolve around illness and treatment, the weekend offers something wonderfully different: excitement, laughter and the chance to forget about hospitals for a little while.
It is a huge undertaking involving drivers, organisers, police, paramedics, sponsors and volunteers but its purpose remains beautifully simple. For one weekend, it is all about making a sick child feel like the most important passenger in the world.
Local businesses: Jempson’s, Adams, The Mermaid Inn, Artwrite, Ethel Loves Me, Craft Magic, Wideye, The George Hotel, The Kind Table, Penny Royal, Rye Health Store, Simply Rye, Treasures of Rye and The Paper Place have all donated items to create three magical mystery bags with items to use or entertain on the journey and some mementoes of Rye to keep as reminders of the Rye taxi that took them to Paris.
The dates of the trip are Friday 25 to 27 September and you can follow the journey by following the Rye Chauffeur on his social media @TheRyeChauffeur on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
You can also donate towards the cost of this mammoth undertaking by donating to the charity here.
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Image Credits: Kt bruce , The Rye Chauffeur .