The Southport Reporter featured an article on our 2020 trip to Southport Pleasureland
You can read the article here.
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Liverpool Echo Southport 2017
Read the Liverpool Echo Article covering our 2017 annual children’s outing to Southport Pleasureland.
Bernie Buxton Profile
They are the best cab journeys passengers could ever take – days out which have transformed lives and provided magnificent and magical memories which last a lifetime.
Liverpool Taxi Drivers Children In Care Outing Fund is celebrating 30 years of organising annual trips for underprivileged children from across Liverpool and Merseyside – adventures which have seen big-hearted city cabbies take countless thousands of children to Blackpool Illuminations, Southport Pleasureland, Frontierland in Morecambe, Camelot in Charnock Richard, Gulliver’s World in Warrington, Butlin’s in Pwllheli, Knowsley Safari Park, Chester Zoo, numerous pantomimes – and, on two special occasions, to Disneyland Paris.
How did it all start?
“Our first trip was to Blackpool Illuminations in October 1985,” says Bernie, the group’s treasurer – who will head to Buckingham Palace on May 21 to receive an MBE from the Queen for services to charity.
But he stresses: “There were so many other founder members and people who did so much foot work in the early days of fund-raising, including my brother Ronnie, Billy Ellery, Davy Griffiths, Joe Burke, Reg Plunkett, Dave Pritchard, Tom Gallagher, Tommy Musker, Harry Manning, Eric Carroll, Alan Roper, Andy Hurst, Joe Byrne, Terry Turner, Maxine Bell and Tony Baldwin.”
Bernie, 70, from Stockbridge Village, adds: “The Liverpool Taxi Drivers Blind Children’s Outing had been going for a great many years – it still is – and I had joined them on a couple of their outings, but I thought other deserving children could be helped as well. I was put in touch with Liverpool social services and, while the first outing included some children who were in care and some who weren’t, social services later put us in touch with about a dozen different children’s homes.
“We’ve gone from strength to strength over the years and the credit belongs to the many taxi drivers who have come forward to help out. They have given up their time year after year and it’s all down to them, not me, that so many children have had so many great days out.
“About 40 to 45 drivers take part in each outing and there could be between 150 and 180 children on each trip. Including all the helpers, we’ll probably take well over 200 people each time.
“We’ve also had so much help from so many Liverpool businesses over the years. So many people have made all these trips possible and we are so grateful for all their backing and support.”
While he prefers to praise others, Bernie’s unstinting work over so many years has been formally recognised.
Bernie’s date with the Queen
The veteran fund-raiser is looking forward to his trip to Buckingham Palace to pick up his MBE on May 21, and says: “I must thank a fellow retired cabbie, George Stirrup, for nominating me for the award, and all those who supported his recommendation – including Merseyside chief constable Jon Murphy, Knowsley MP George Howarth, former Lord Mayor Cllr Sharon Sullivan, Mayor Joe Anderson and Sister Benedicte, manager of Clumber Lodge children’s home in Formby.”
Sister Benedicte wrote that Bernie had been an “inspiration”, and added: “Some of our young people, once they have left care, return for a visit and, when reminiscing, talk about Bernie and their wonderful trips out. With people like Bernie, who are always thinking of others, our children’s lives are so much brighter, especially after the traumatic experience they have endured before coming into care.”
Our day out – Thank you!
So many trips, so many special memories… and many of them are mentioned in the ‘Thank you’ cards and letters packed into Bernie’s two bumper scrapbooks.
As well as taking them to an attraction and letting them enjoy all the fun of the fair, the cabbies also lay on food, a children’s entertainer and, at the end of the day, give each child £10 (Bernie reveals: “The children, we have learned over the years, often put the money together to buy big items – like music centres and televisions – for their particular children’s home”).
One boy wrote: “Dear Taxi Drivers and Bernie, Thank you for taking us to Camelot. It was really an amazing day for all of us and it was really cool. My favourite ride was Nightmare because it was really scary – but awesome.”
And a girl wrote: “Thank you for the lovely time at Butlin’s. I went on the Boomerang, the canoes, the Umbrellas and the bumper cars. And I went to the disco. The chalets were lovely and at night after the disco me and my friend had a midnight feast. We had Pot Noodle and crisps.”
The late Jimmy “The Ticket” McEvoy, pictured with Robert Frost on an outing to Chester Zoo in 2001. Bernie Buxton says Jimmy, who died in 2006, was given his nickname because he was always selling raffle tickets to raise money for children in care. And he adds: “His three sisters are still heavily-involved with the fund to this day.”
Bernie adds: “I’m getting a lump in my throat thinking about all these nice cards and letters. And once, all the kids gathered around me and one of them said ‘We want to give you something’ – they’d had a collection and bought me a watch!”
Bernie had more than a lump in his throat by the time he told me this – he was crying.
The father of three, grandfather of nine and great grandfather of one adds: “All of us just want to put on a great trip for the kids – whether they are six-months-old or 18 years old – and it’s great to see the smiles on their faces.”
Making dreams come true
Bernie says: “Each trip will cost around £4,000 to £5,000 and as soon as we are back from one trip I’ll be planning to raise the funds for the next one. Our golf day – which has been supported by so many former Merseyside footballers, including Graeme Sharp, Dave Watson, Ian Snodin, John Aldridge, David Fairclough and Alan Kennedy – has been going for 25 years and we put on charity shows in the city, including at the Adelphi Hotel. As it’s a big anniversary year, we’ve currently got four events on the go!”
Disneyland Forever!
On two occasions – in 1995 and 2005 – the taxi drivers took youngsters to Disneyland Paris. Bernie recalls: “We went on the boat in ‘95 and then flew from Liverpool John Lennon Airport 10 years later. Going on the boat was a big adventure but it was something else when we flew to Paris – the kids were so excited and some were saying ‘Look down there! You can see our home!’ Being abroad for the first time is such a big thing for anybody, and all the kids had a wonderful time on those trips.”
And the fun isn’t over yet…
“I’ve got no plans to stop being involved in organising these outings,” says Bernie. “And the next one is already booked – Southport Pleasureland on July 29!”
Source : Liverpool Echo
Everyday Heroes
This city of ours is packed with ordinary people who quietly go about doing extraordinarily good deeds in a bid to make other people’s lives a little brighter.
And one of them that I am privileged to know will make his way to Buckingham Palace on Thursday to receive an MBE for services to charity.
All hail Bernie Buxton, co-founder and treasurer of the Liverpool Taxi Drivers Children In Care Outing Fund, which is celebrating 30 years of organising annual trips for underprivileged children from across Liverpool and Merseyside.
These never-to-be-forgotten adventures have seen big-hearted city cabbies take countless thousands of children to Blackpool Illuminations, Southport Pleasureland, Frontierland in Morecambe, Camelot in Charnock Richard, Gulliver’s World in Warrington, Butlin’s in Pwllheli, Knowsley Safari Park, Chester Zoo, numerous pantomimes – and, on two special occasions, to Disneyland Paris.
Everyday Heroes
Retired cabbie Bernie, ECHO readers will know, was also one of our Gift of The Cab columnists.
And, as with so many of those who do so many good things for others, he is modest – telling us when his award was announced: “It belongs to all the cabbies who have supported me and everyone who has sponsored us over the years and, of course, all the children themselves because there wouldn’t be a charity without them. I can’t thank them all enough. It’s down to the hard work of everyone.”
The ECHO has always been pleased to sing the praises of previously unsung local superstars – which is why we last year asked you to nominate someone as your ECHO Everyday Hero – someone who always puts others before themselves and goes above and beyond the call of duty in everyday life to help friends, neighbours or strangers.
I asked Bernie Buxton to help us kick off our campaign, and he chose foster dad Ritchie Anson, from Walton, who, with his wife, Anne, had fostered an astonishing total of more than 1,000 youngsters in 33 years.
Meanwhile, part of Bernie’s good work includes appealing for household items that people no longer need – including beds, three-piece suites, cookers, fridges and freezers – and handing them to young people coming out of care, and he told us: “I’m always ringing up Ritchie, at all times of the day and night, with all kinds of requests to go and pick up these items for me – and he never says ‘No’. He will drive all over the place, from Wallasey to Warrington, with the trailer on the back of his mini-bus. The people who are donating big items want them out of their homes as soon as possible, and we just couldn’t do without Ritchie.”
The truth is Merseyside couldn’t do without people like Ritchie and Bernie – and all the other selfless men and women we have been so glad to highlight over the years. Merseysiders are well-known for their sense of community, but while people don’t do things in a bid to gain official approval it’s nice when the well-deserved awards come around – so well done, Bernie!
Source : Liverpool Echo
New Year Honours List
A Liverpool cabbie who organises outings for children in care and families in need joins senior police officers, politicians and business people in this year’s New Year honours list.
Bernie Buxton was awarded the MBE for his charitable services as the founder of the Liverpool Taxi Drivers children in care outing fund. It is estimated that as many as 10,000 children have been taken on trips since the charity was founded in 1985.
He has raised funds for the twice-yearly outings with the support of his fellow cabbies and the generosity of the public.
Bernie, 70, said: “I’m over the moon to be honest and it hasn’t sunk in.
“It’s been the hardest secret to keep for the last six weeks and I don’t know how I’ve done it to be honest.
“My partner kept asking what that letter from the Government was all about.
“I’ve got the award but it belongs to all the cabbies who have supported me and everyone who has sponsored us over the years and of course all the children themselves because there wouldn’t be a charity without them. I can’t thank them all enough. It’s down to the hard work of everyone.”
He added: “The ceremony is at St James’ Palace in July so I’ve got to get myself a new suit.
“I’m 70 now but I’m a young 70 and I’m going to keep going because I don’t believe in putting my feet up. I want to keep doing this for another 30 years.”
Senior Merseyside police officer, Chief Superintendent Jon Ward, receives the Queen’s Police Medal. He is the second member of his family to be given the accolade, after his brother, Assistant Chief Constable Andy Ward, was given the honour in the Queen’s Birthday Honours last year.
Chief Supt Ward joined Merseyside police as a Constable in 1987, when he walked the beat in Sefton. He is now lead match commander for games at Liverpool and Everton football clubs.
Merseyside Chief Constable Sir Jon Murphy said: “Jon has 28 years’ experience and is held in high regard by his colleagues. I am delighted that he has received this honour in recognition of his commitment and dedication to the police service.”
Dan Stephens, chief fire officer with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, also receives the Queen’s Fire Service Medal.
And there were also many unsung men and women from across the Merseyside region who were recognised for their many decades of tireless work in helping others.
Margaret Hawkes, a foster carer from Bromborough, Wirral, received an MBE for services to children and families. She has been fostering since retiring in 1975 and has helped more than 200 children, almost all with severe mental or physical problems.
Margaret, 77, said: “I see it as an honour for all foster carers. We are often very much in the background with social workers in the foreground and lots of carers don’t get the recognition they deserve.
“I get so much satisfaction from foster caring that I will keep fostering until they tell me not to.”
Geoffrey Williams, who lives in Birkdale, received a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his services to the Southport Talking Newspaper for the Blind.
The 79-year-old said the talking newspaper is “greatly appreciated” by their blind and partially sighted listeners who would “otherwise lose touch with the community.”
Sharon Tinn, a Learning in the Community worker based in Ellesmere Port, was also a recipient of a BEM for services to adult education. She said: “I love what I do and being able to go out in the community and meet people and unlock their potential is special.
“It doesn’t matter who they are – I want to help them make new friends, meet people and do something different.”
Source : Liverpool Echo