On 1 September, a group of Taxi Charity for Military Veterans volunteers, veterans and supporters attended a reception at the Ambassador’s Residence in The Hague.
Joanna Roper CMG, His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Netherland has met with the Taxi Charity on several occasions and kindly invited them to visit her Residence on their way to Oosterbeek for the annual Airborne March.
Joanna Roper, with Geoff Roberts and Don Turrell
The Taxi Charity group, which consisted of ten black cabs and their volunteer cab drivers, veterans, carers and supporters, spent a couple of hours talking with Joanna Roper CMG, British Ambassador to the Netherlands, Keith Allan, Deputy Ambassador and Lt Col Piers Strudwick, British Defence Attaché to The Netherlands, while enjoying tea and cakes.
London Cab Driver and Taxi Charity Chairman Brian Heffernan said, “We took the overnight ferry from Harwich on 31 August and when we docked at the Hook of Holland the following morning, we made our way to The Hague for a reception at the Ambassador’s Residence. Joanna was incredibly kind and made sure she engaged with all of the veterans and there was a really poignant moment at the end of the visit when D Day veteran Bill Gladden sang to her. It was a fabulous way to kick off our long weekend in the Netherlands for the annual Airborne March and we are very grateful that Joanna, Keith and Piers took time out of their busy schedules to meet us.”
Joanna Roper, British Ambassador to the Netherlands said, “I was honoured to receive the veterans and their accompanying black cab drivers from the Taxi Charity at the Residence in The Hague, as part of their trip to The Netherlands for the Airborne March. I am always in awe of the veterans’ resilience and humility, which comes through in their personal stories. Their experiences are an important part of the rich and historic relationship between the UK and The Netherlands. All of us here at the British Embassy are very grateful to the Taxi Charity, for their tireless work facilitating these trips. I wish them a happy 75th anniversary this year.”
To find out more about the support the Taxi Charity offers to veterans or to donate visit www.taxicharity.org
Veteran John Poyner had never visited this Commonwealth War Grave in Oosterbeek. On Sunday he was able to lay a wreath on the grave of his cousin who was killed in Arnhem.
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