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  • 7/1/2025
British veterans have hailed the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans as they enjoyed a special day out to Worthing in Sussex.A hoard of 50 volunteer black cab drivers gathered in Surrey to drive hundreds of veterans down to the coast for a day of fish and chips, 1940s music and an Elvis Presley tribute act.FULL STORY HERE.

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Transcript
00:00Charlie, what are the veterans up to?
00:04Well, good afternoon. We're here in Worthing. It's been a wonderful day so far. Everyone gathered
00:09in Surrey. Well over 100 veterans and also those black cab taxis from the taxi charity for military
00:17veterans all gathering here. The first of many special guests I've got to bring you, Tom,
00:22is Dorothea Barron. Dorothea, a 100-year-old World War II veteran. This is a very special day to be
00:29with so many other veterans, Dorothea. Oh, it is indeed. And it's exciting to hear their stories
00:36and how we match up in what we went through when we were youngsters.
00:42And it's so special to see all these people, but also to be appreciated and supported by all of
00:48the taxis as well. Oh, my goodness, yes. I remember pre-war my mother saying,
00:55those wonderful London taxi drivers have been taking Cockney children to the seaside again.
01:04And I said, haven't they seen the sea before? And she said, no. And I couldn't believe it because
01:12we used to chop down to Brighton at weekends.
01:17Well, Dorothea, we've had a great lunch. I'll come grab you later. But stay with me,
01:20guys, because there are plenty more excellent people here. I want to bring you one of those
01:25amazing taxi charity organisers. This is Paul Cook. He's the vice chair of the taxi charity for
01:32military veterans. Paul, an amazing day today. Congratulations. Amazing to see so many people
01:36here being supported by your charity. Yes, it's great. I mean, this is our annual event,
01:40and it's so nice to see like 250 people here each year. We've been doing this, as you know,
01:45for over 70 years. And it's nice to see everybody coming together again, as it's really lovely to see
01:49everyone. Paul, you're sitting next to Babette, who recently ran the London Marathon for the charity.
01:55Why were you so keen to support them? It's just amazing work that they do for the veterans,
02:00like bringing them here to Worthing and taking them over to Normandy and Holland and everything,
02:04you know. So it's more than I can do running 26 miles, you know, for these guys and what they've done.
02:10I know all the veterans here are very grateful for your support. Great to speak to you too.
02:13Let's move around this room. You get a sense of the scale here, Tom and Nana. Hundreds have gathered,
02:19many from all different cat badges, all different services. I've got here so many veterans from the
02:25Parachute Regiment. You can see their famous maroon ties. If you keep coming with me now,
02:31right here to the end. Hello. Hello. Oh, I've lost him. I had another guest who was set up here.
02:37There he is. Hello. How are you? It's been an amazing day, hasn't it? Are you happy to be here?
02:42I'm really, really happy to be here. And Bill has just seen somebody he hasn't seen for 54 years.
02:49Bill, I'll speak to you quickly. Hello there. Charlie from GB News. How are you?
02:53This has been a great opportunity for a reunion for you then?
02:55Yeah, we've met each other last Thursday. He's a Chelsea pensioner and he's up here today. The last
03:02time I see him was 54 years ago with the 36th Regiment down to Rubin S. Over the moon.
03:10Amazing to see so many people here, many you've previously served with. This is a real treat.
03:16Oh, great. Brilliant. Really, absolutely. It's out in this world.
03:20And it says a lot about the spirit of the Black Cabs as well.
03:23Oh, true. Very true.
03:25Bill, it's a pleasure to speak with you. Thank you so much.
03:27Well, there you go, Tom and Nana. So many people here benefiting from the military charity
03:32for veterans. They've done an amazing work here, that taxi charity. We're expecting some
03:39music to come in a second. So hopefully you join me a little later on and we'll have a
03:43band and plenty more entertainment for these amazing people. Our finest generation, but not
03:48just them. Veterans from conflicts all the way up to Afghanistan as well. Every generation
03:54here represented and being supported by the taxi charity for military veterans.
03:59Absolutely brilliant stuff, Charlie. Of course, we'll be back with you on the channel throughout
04:03the course of the afternoon.

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