On 29 September ten London cab drivers who volunteer for the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans took fifteen veterans to Goodwood to participate in a Mission Motorsport event.
The event at Goodwood was hosted by Mission Motorsport and gave veterans the opportunity to sit in the passenger seat and race around the track at speeds of up to 150 mph in a range of sports cars including, BMW, Audi, Ferrari, and Aston Martin.
Mission Motorsport launched in March 2012 to help those affected by military operations by engagement through sport and the Taxi Charity was delighted when they were invited to bring veterans to their race track event at Goodwood in West Sussex.
Among the veterans attending the event with the Taxi Charity were six Chelsea Pensioners who were picked up from the Royal Hospital Chelsea and driven to Goodwood in three iconic London taxis.
One of the Chelsea Pensioners Mike Smith said, “What a couple of weeks I have had. On 12 September the Taxi Charity took me to an event at Biggin Hill and I got to fly in a Spitfire and then today I have been whizzed around the race track at high speeds and had great fun on the skid pan. What a wonderful treat and I am extremely grateful to the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans for making it all happen. An unforgettable two weeks.”
Frances Wyhowska, Ambassador, Taxi Charity for Military Veterans said, “Mission Motorsport gave our veterans and drivers a marvellous day at Goodwood Motor Circuit. Everyone was given the opportunity to experience laps in sleek supercars at speeds of up to 150mph and the Chelsea Pensioners couldn’t be drawn away….until that is they discovered the skid pan! Our volunteer drivers even got the chance to do three laps of the track in their cabs, albeit at a slightly more sedate pace. The kindness of everyone at Mission Motorsport was outstanding and the smiles on the faces of our veterans and drivers said it all.”
Andy Brown, Chief Operating Officer, Mission Motorsport said, “Our Invitational Track Day at Goodwood is one of the highlights of Mission Motorsport’s sporting calendar, bringing together members of the Armed Forces community from all over the country. Our 10th anniversary on Friday was no exception and turned out to have our highest attendance ever. It was also wonderful to be able to invite the Taxi Charity along for the first time. The sight of a parade of black cabs doing laps around the iconic motor racing circuit was simply fantastic. And of course, the iconic scarlet tunics of the young Chelsea Pensioners was the icing on the cake of an amazing day. I hope this is the start of a very special relationship with both the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans and the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Thank you!”
To find out more about the support the Taxi Charity offers to veterans or to donate visit www.taxicharity.org
About Mission Motorsport, The Forces Motorsport Charity
The Forces’ Motorsport Charity, which has a motto of “Race, Retrain, Recover” is MoD’s competent authority for motor sport as a recovery activity.
A Service Charity and a member of the Confederation of Service Charities, Mission Motorsport has an award-winning collaborative model of working with government and the other service charities.
As part of the MoD’s Career Transition Partnership, the charity helps those leaving the military to find employment in the automotive industry. An appointed IMI training centre, Mission Motorsport’s Training Wing delivers Industry recognised Electric Vehicle qualifications in addition to Level 3 Diploma courses and full apprenticeships enabling service leavers to bridge the gap between military service and second careers as civilians, beyond injury.
Now in its 12th year of operations, Mission Motorsport has delivered hundreds of events providing over 2040 wounded, injured or sick beneficiaries with sporting output and supported over 300 wounded, injured or sick beneficiaries to access employment through the charity’s training and placement schemes. Representing the wider Armed Forces Community, the charity’s veteran employment programs have paved the way for over 2000 veterans into employment in the Automotive Industry.
About the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans
The Taxi Charity is run by volunteer London black taxi drivers and has been supporting thousands of veterans since 1948. It is the only Forces charity that focuses on providing fun and entertainment and arranges free trips (for veterans from all conflicts) to the Netherlands and France, for acts of commemoration and days out to museums, concerts, or social events across the UK.
2023 is the charity’s 75th anniversary, a remarkable milestone for a small, niche charity peopled by enthusiastic volunteers.
The charity received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2021, an award approved by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the equivalent of the MBE for charities.
To fund and facilitate their work, the charity is reliant on donations, grants and sponsorship and launched a ‘75 for 75’ fundraising campaign to raise £75,000 in its anniversary year.
