On 29 September, ten London cab drivers who volunteer for the Taxi Charity took 15 veterans to Goodwood to participate in a Mission Motorsport event.
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.
The event gave the 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.
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 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! I am extremely grateful to the Taxi Charity for making it all happen. An unforgettable two weeks."
Frances Wyhowska, ambassador of the Taxi Charity, 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 of 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 motor racing circuit was simply fantastic. And of course, the iconic scarlet tunics of the 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!"
