VIDEO: Singing Cabbies Perform Christmas Song To Raise Money For Charity

A dozen black taxi drivers have stopped their meters to form a festive fundraising choir – better known as the 12 singing cabbies of Christmas

A dozen black taxi drivers have stopped their meters to form a festive fundraising choir – better known as the 12 singing cabbies of Christmas.

Warming up with a chorus of Deck the Halls at east London’s Victoria Park last month, taxi driver-of-15 years Mark Monroe and his cabby pals – all drivers in the capital – will be hitting a high note on December 17, by performing the carol at Piccadilly’s famous Burlington Arcade.

Single Mark, 52, of Ealing, west London, said: “I love singing and being a taxi driver, so this combines two of my favourite things.”

He added: “We’re also raising money for the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children, so we’re spreading some festive cheer and doing something for the community, too.”

A big fan of the festivities, Mark, who became a black cab driver at 36 in 2005,  after studying for The Knowledge – a compulsory test for black cabbies gauging their understanding of the city’s driving routes and streets – recalls giving Santa a lift in December 2019.

“I did pick up Santa Claus once,” he laughed.

He added: “He was in full regalia and had a booking and said, ‘I’m late, I need to deliver some presents.’

“I got him there on time, so he was very happy.”

Mark, who says 99 per cent of his customers are great, had not planned to be a taxi driver.

He said: “I never thought I’d end up doing this.

“I was working in London in a pub and a friend of mine asked me, ‘Why don’t you become a black cab driver?’

“It sounded great because you can work whenever you want to.”

He added: “But it’s not that easy, as to drive a black cab in London you have to do The Knowledge.

“It took about three and a half years of study and 22 exams before I got my green badge, so I could drive.

“I love my job, though. No two days are the same and I meet people from all around the world.”

When Mark saw the taxi app, FREE NOW, advertising in November this year for London cab drivers willing to join a Christmas choir, the gregarious character jumped at the chance of a singalong for a good cause.

“I love singing,” he said. “I used to do bits of theatre and I’ve got a little bit of a voice.

“I sing when I’m driving in the cab – although not when there are other people in it!”

He added: “One of the ride hailing apps I work for, FREE NOW, contacted me saying they were looking for some taxi drivers to form a choir.

“They said, ‘We’ll just get all the taxi drivers together and see what type of sound we make.’ That’s exactly what we did.”

After a difficult couple of years because of Covid, the choir offered the Christmas cheer he and his fellow cabbies craved.

“There’s no Christmas party for taxi drivers and it can be a lonely job sometimes,” said Mark.

“So, it’s been really nice to spend time with fellow drivers. We had our first rehearsal three weeks ago.

“We all had a meeting and introduced each other. I did know one of the taxi drivers, Aiden Kent – he’s London’s famous singing cabbie, who’s performed at the London Palladium.”

He added: “I’ve worked with him before, as I make some content for YouTube called Secrets of London with Mark Monroe.

“So, it was great to see him again. It was just really nice to get a bunch of us taxi drivers together.”

As well as having fun, the carol singing cabbies are raising money for London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children, which takes children on exciting days out in the famous black cabs.

“London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children was founded in 1928,” said Mark.

“Their aim is to fund and facilitate outings for special needs and disadvantaged children.  At the moment, we take them to Christmas parties.

“But in the summer, they might go somewhere like the beach.”

He added: “Going somewhere in a black cab is exciting for them.

“Christmas is all about children and London taxi drivers have a reputation for appreciating children’s needs.

“We never charge families taking their kids to Great Ormond Street Hospital, for example. There’s always been that connection with helping youngsters in our community.”

He added: “So, singing and raising money for kids at the same time puts a smile on everyone’s face.”

Now the 12 singing cabbies of Christmas are warming up for their big day performing at the Burlington Arcade on December 17.

“At the end of November, we sang Deck the Halls in Victoria Park,” said Mark.

He added: “We were right next to Christmas tree vendors as well, so it was a great and lots of people really enjoyed the evening.

“Deck the Halls is a good up-tempo Christmas carol. We had a very good choir mistress, and we actually sound really nice together.

“We’re performing it again at Burlington Arcade in Piccadilly next.”

He added: “I think it’s going to be magical, because you’ve got the lights outside and they really do know how to do Christmas lights on Bond Street and around there.”

But, while Deck the Halls is Mark’s favourite carol, he says Driving home for Christmas by Chis Rea is his preferred Yuletide song.

He said: “I really enjoy singing Deck the Halls with the cabbie choir, but my favourite Christmas song is Driving Home for Christmas.”

He added: “I drive home on Christmas morning to my family in Bristol every year and that song really fits with me.

“I sing Driving Home for Christmas as I’m doing just that. It’s really magical.”

Created by ride-hailing app FREE NOW to raise money for the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children, the choir will be performing live at the charity’s fundraising event on December 17 in Burlington Arcade.