A memorial bench has been installed near Witney's taxi rank in memory of Donald Johns “the best taxi driver in Witney”, according to the many tributes sent to his family.

After Mr Johns died from cancer in October 2021, his daughter, Verity Luckett, received over 200 messages praising her dad's work in the community.

She decided to launch an appeal to raise money for a bench in the town and for Katharine House Hospice which cared for Mr Johns in his last days.

Mr Johns started work at Angie’s Taxi’s in 1985, although he worked for different firms over the 38 years he was a Witney taxi driver.

Mrs Luckett said: “But one thing they all had in common is that everyone loved Donald.”

He was a familiar figure, well known for enjoying a cup of coffee and tapping his pipe out on the pavement at the taxi rank.

The appeal raised £1,000 of which £100 has been donated to Katharine House Hospice.

Mrs Luckett, from Ducklington, said: “People would look on the taxi rank for Don's taxi and would not travel in anyone else’s as they respected and trusted Donald so much.

"People have said they would wave other taxis on while waiting for Donald to pull up.

"He took the time to help everyone he could, you would find him cutting someone’s grass or not only driving someone home from shopping, but actually taking the shopping in and putting it away."

 

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