A fleet of 70 hackney taxis in Plymouth is to come together today in remembrance of Alan Henning, who was beheaded by Islamic State after being kept prisoner for a long ten months.
The Salford-based taxi driver gave up his job to volunteer as a humanitarian aid worker in 2013. He was, however, captured by Islamic State militants soon after crossing the border into Syria on an aid mission in December last year.
An aid worker who accompanied Mr. Henning on his final convoy, Majid Freeman, said: “Alan was a beautiful, genuine human being inside and out. He went to Syria to help at a time when the whole international community had abandoned them.
“International community leaders were paying mere lip service while Alan and many other aid workers were actually feeding these people, sheltering them, giving them aid, taking nappies for the babies, ambulances and generators for the hospitals, sweets and toys for the children and so much more.”
Celebration
On hearing the news of Mr Henning’s death, a group of 70 hackney taxi drivers in Plymouth organised the multi-faith ‘celebration drive’ as a mark of respect of Mr Henning.
A spokesman for the taxi group commented: “I was gutted to hear about Alan. He was just a guy giving up his time and doing it selflessly for others.
“The taxi fraternity is quite tight and I think a lot of us were shocked by his death.
“We want to bring the taxi fraternity together from all cultural backgrounds and celebrate the life of Alan Henning. We have drivers of all faiths taking part. I’m sure there won’t be a dry eye today.”