PDR Supports The Magical Taxi Tour 2022

Every year, London cab drivers take over 200 children with debilitating chronic and life-threatening illnesses on a magical 3-day trip to Disneyland Paris. This is known as The Magical Taxi Tour and to date, over 2,500 taxis have taken almost 5,000 children for this adventure.

This unique charity event is organised by the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers and is entirely free for the children and their families to enjoy. Even though the taxis are donated freely, with drivers giving up their time and vehicles to make children’s dreams come true, it costs approximately £1,500 per taxi for the dream to become a reality, so donations and sponsorship are essential.

When Mike O’Connor, one of our newest Recruitment Consultants to join the team here at PDR, said that he would like to join in with this event for a second time, we just had to get involved. By donating to the event ourselves and fully supporting Mike in his mission, we were able to play a small part in helping to make this trip a reality; bringing a touch of Disney magic to those who really need it.

Leaving from Canary Wharf on Friday 16th September, Mike joined the convoy of more than 500 volunteers and over 100 children travelling to Paris via Dover with a police, ambulance and recovery escort on both sides of the channel helping the journey to run smoothly.

We caught up with Mike once he got back to find out more.

“From a taxi driver perspective, it was an honour and privilege to take part in such an event, to see the joy and pleasure on the faces of the children makes it all worth it. After an amazing breakfast, the tour departed from Canary Wharf early on Friday 16th September. What a sight this is to behold a convoy of almost 3 miles long escorted by the City of London Police and the French Gendarmerie. The tour headed to Dover and the ferry, where there we entertainers aplenty aboard the ferry to entertain the children, they loved it!

Once we disembarked in Calais we headed for Paris, stopping halfway for a party in the Assevillers service station, where our French friends also pulled all the stops out for the children, by entertaining, dressing up and providing copious amounts of party food for them. After refuelling, we continued towards Disneyland Paris, arriving at around 8:00pm that evening. There was another party for the children before we all fell into bed - What a day!

Saturday was the main event. We spent a magical day in the Disneyland Paris Park and the Disney Studios Park. The children were so excited and the atmosphere in the park was magical. The children were genuinely mesmerised. What a spectacle it was! There were amazing rides, shows and parades in the park, rollercoasters and 3D rides. The variety of entertainment was truly breath-taking. It was then back to the hotel for a truly fantastic Gala dinner. Everybody donned their glad rags and boogied the night away.

After a good night sleep, we woke early for a hearty breakfast and then made our way to the taxi for an early departure for Calais and then onward to Dover.At Dover we all went our own way each dropping our family’s home. What a weekend!