DG Cars champion female drivers at Rosie May Day celebration

Image credit: DG Cars

Nottingham's private hire operator, DG Cars, marked Monday 20 May with a special event dubbed 'Rosie May Day'. This occasion, dedicated to the Rosie May Foundation, showcased the company's commitment to encouraging female participation in the taxi and private hire industry.

The Rosie May Foundation, established in 2004 by Graham and Mary Storrie after the heart-wrenching loss of their daughter, has since urged businesses and the public to organise events during May and June. These events commemorate what would have been Rosie May's 31st birthday, while promoting safety and positive futures for children worldwide.

Operating out of Nottingham and extending its reach to Sri Lanka and Nepal, the Foundation focuses on aiding families in crisis through various educational and empowerment initiatives. Among these, the 'Think Pink' programme stands out by transforming the perception of taxi driving for women, making it a viable and respected career choice.

DG Cars, having aligned with this vision since 2022, has successfully introduced over 50 female drivers into its East Midlands operations through robust training programmes. The recent Rosie May Day event at their Nottingham headquarters celebrated this success. The event attracted over 50 guests, including Think Pink drivers and Councillor Audrey Dinnall, who oversees licensing and regulatory matters for Nottingham City Council.

James Knox, integrator at DG Cars, said: “Ever since joining forces with the Rosie May Foundation and Think Pink in 2022, we have seen first- hand the incredible work they do to help rebuild families and children’s lives in local and global communities.

“This is our second Rosie May Day Event, having held our first one back in 2023. This year, we once again wanted to show our support for the Foundation at such an important time - especially as an integral charity partner of ours, and an extension of the wider DG Cars family. Our team of Think Pink drivers are imperative to the success of our operation, so it felt like the perfect opportunity to thank them for their hard work, while also honouring Rosie May and the Storrie family.

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Rosie May Foundation and Think Pink, in order to  raise awareness of the Foundation, its commitment to help diverse communities and its work to encourage more women to pursue a professional, successful and supported driving career.”

Councillor Audrey Dinnall, added: “It was an honour to attend the Rosie May Day, hosted by DG Cars. Seeing how the Storrie family has used this tragic event to make a positive impact on the community is admirable and it was humbling to hear about their successes, despite their tragedy, over the past two decades.

“I’d like to thank DG Cars for hosting the occasion, and Think Pink and the Rosie May Foundation for everything they do. I hope they continue to inspire and unite communities, encouraging more women to pursue their career as taxi drivers, and I look forward to seeing more Think Pink drivers take to the roads in the future."

Mary Storrie, founder of the Rosie May Foundation, said: “We decided to launch the Rosie May Day events as an opportunity to honour our late daughter as she would have turned 31 this month. We want everyone to celebrate her legacy in any way they can, whether that be by hosting a coffee afternoon or simply wearing pink to show support of the Foundation.

“On behalf of myself and the family, I’d like to say a huge thank you to DG Cars for hosting its own Rosie May Day, and for its continued support alongside the Think Pink drivers of Nottingham. Without taxi firms like DG Cars, we wouldn’t have such a successful initiative where we can continue to inspire girls and women to be safe, but also feel empowered in a career that they might not have thought about.”