A fleet of London black cabs made an appearance at New Covent Garden Market on Tuesday, to mark a very special occasion for a group of our country’s true heroes.
Chelsea Pensioners and World War II veterans made the detour to Nine Elms on the way to Worthing for their 60th annual commemoration of the D-Day landings, organised by the London Taxi Benevolent Association for War Disabled since 1948.
Covent Garden Tenants’ Association (CGTA) and Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA) were both sponsors of this year’s event, which saw 300 veterans taken in a black cab convoy to Sussex for lunch, a stroll along the beach and then a tea dance on the pier, all in the company of their patron, wartime sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn.
CGTA chairman Gary Marshall said: “I was invited to go to Normandy with 200 veterans last month, and felt immensely proud and honoured to be in the company of such great men. When I told people at the market about it, we all agreed to sponsor 50 cabs for the trip to Worthing - next year we will sponsor all 100 cabs. Whether it is Covent Garden or any other market that does this, I think this shows that market people are genuine and proud, and we wanted the Chelsea Pensioners to come to the market and feel that pride and respect first hand.”
Jan Lloyd, CGMA chief executive, added: “It is marvellous that the tenants and the market authority can work together on behalf of such great men, and I feel our involvement is a reflection of the spirit that exists within this market.”
