Bradley Winfield, 51, has been a London cabbie for fifteen years and has been involved with the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children for fourteen years and for the past 35 years has been a keen herpetologist.

Always fascinated by animals, Bradley’s love of reptiles and amphibians started at the age of 16 when he was given a Royal Python – much to his parent’s horror. Although they weren’t initially too keen, he did manage to turn them around. By the age of 18, Bradley owned many lizards and snakes, keeping one snake at home and the rest of his collection in the premises of his Direct Mail business.

Bradley Winfield, cabbie and volunteer for London Taxi Drivers Charity for Children, said, “ Aged 18, living at home and with lots of disposable income,  I did lots of  buying and selling and decided that I would l wind up the Direct Mail business I owned and use the money to buy the shop where I bought most of my reptiles from. Then later I bought a warehouse and turned my hobby in to a successful business which I ran for fifteen years.”

Back then Bradley had a very keen interest in venomous reptiles and his collection included Rattlesnakes, Vipers, Cobras and Mambas. His business called The Vivarium, in Walthamstow, sold snakes, lizards and frogs and he especially liked Poison Arrow Frogs.

Bradley continued, “I have been a cabbie for fifteen years and although I no longer have my Herpetology business, my love of reptiles and amphibians is still as strong. Currently I have a collection of Kingsnakes, including, Mountain Kings, California Kings and Pythons as well as much larger snakes including a 5ft long Short Tailed Python from Malaysia.”

A volunteer for the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children (LTCFC), Bradley and the committee and other volunteers were very disappointed that their annual summer outing to Southend had to be cancelled this year– the first time in over 90 years. The LTCFC team are looking forward to pandemic restrictions being lifted so that they can once again put smiles on the faces of hundreds of special needs and disadvantaged children and their families and carers at their events.

To donate to the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children please visit  www.ltcfc.org.uk or text TAXI £5, £10 or £20 to 70085

About Herpetology

A herpetologist studies reptiles and amphibians such as snakes, frogs and salamanders.