Taxi Charity veterans take to skies at special Flying for Freedom Day, TAXI
On 3 October, 14 veterans enjoyed an unforgettable day at Popham Airfield, courtesy of Flying for Freedom.
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans were welcomed to Popham Airfield by the nonprofit Flying for Freedom, with a hearty breakfast before a full day of flying, friendship and shared memories got underway.
The 14 veterans included members of the Parachute Regiment, the Royal Marines, and the Women’s Royal Army Corps. They were joined by double amputee Hari Budha Magar MBE who has conquered Everest, Mont Blanc and Kilimanjaro and Colonel (retd) Richard Walker OBE, Chief Executive of The Not Forgotten, alongside the Flying for Freedom and Taxi Charity volunteers who all helped make the day so memorable.
A day to remember
From 11am until 5.30pm, a total of 19 microlight and fixed wing flights took to the skies, giving everyone the opportunity to experience the thrill of flying, while enjoying the camaraderie that is at the heart of Taxi Charity events.
Veteran Ricky Strange, who served with the Royal Marines, posted on Facebook:
“A lovely day out with an old friend meeting other veterans. Everyone who wanted had some airtime. Either in a microlight or Cessna, plus, time on an indoor simulator. I believe everyone who attended took away memories that will remain with them for a while.”
Terry Ward, Taxi Charity Trustee, arranged the day and said: “What an amazing day! We were incredibly honoured to be invited again to join Flying for Freedom at Popham Airfield and it turned out to be a day that our veterans and guests will remember for a very long time.
“A huge thank you to everyone at Flying for Freedom, all the pilots and volunteers who made the day possible and to every veteran and guest who joined us. We were absolutely delighted when they invited us back again, and we are already looking forward to doing it all again next year!”
Graham Hennigan from Flying for Freedom said:
“Hosting the Taxi Charity at Popham Airfield is one of the best days in our calendar. Many of the veterans we fly live with visible and invisible injuries, and seeing all of their guest veterans get airborne, many for the first time in a flexwing, is exactly why Flying for Freedom exists. We’re grateful to Colin and the Taxi Charity team for making it happen, and we look forward to the next one.”
What Flying for Freedom do
Flying for Freedom provides recovery support to Wounded Injured and Sick (WIS) Service personnel and veterans through flying and is entirely run by volunteers most of whom are themselves WIS and backed by some of the world’s best microlight pilots.
