Today's action: A child in everyone

Once a year many emergency workers from police, ambulance and fire services, together with people from the military, Red Cross and other services, volunteer for a great cause. Children up to the age of 16 who are disabled or chronically ill are taken to the Artis zoo in Amsterdam for an unforgettable evening out, with their families. Yes, it's Kinderbeestfeest! Or Children-animal-party.

Today was the 15th time this annual event took place. Hundreds and hundreds of children and their families are being taken to Amsterdam, traveling in police cars, ambulances, fire trucks, military vehicles, Red Cross busses and so on. From several places these vehicles travel in groups to Amsterdam, with blue lights and sirens.

This afternoon in Almere vehicles lined up beside the hospital. Families arrived and I saw many anxious faces looking forward to one of the most exciting trips of their lives. It's always great to see how emergency service workers, doing very serious work on a daily basis, step into a different role and volunteer to give these children this precious gift.

Also the parents and even some hospital nurses that came out to have a look at what was happening had happy smiles on their faces. Nurses even were taking pictures of eachother, sitting on police motorbikes and having a laugh of their own. It shows there's a child in everyone.