Comedian and musician Bill Bailey and actor, author and presenter Ross Kemp will support Transport for London’s (TfL’s) fundraising efforts for the London Poppy Appeal on 31 October as TfL pays tribute to servicemen and women in collaboration with the Royal British Legion (RBL) on Remembrance Day.
Marking Armistice Day, poppies will return to London’s transport network. Continuing the decades-long collaboration with the RBL, TfL will support their aim of raising over £1m though the annual London Poppy Appeal with collections from 07:00 to 19:00 at 70 stations across the capital.
As the ‘voice’ of the London Poppy Appeal, musician and comedian Bill Bailey has recorded special station announcements encouraging customers to support the cause, which will be played across the London Underground and rail network on London Poppy Day on 31 October, while actor, author and presenter Ross Kemp will support the collections at Charing Cross Underground station. London Transport Commissioner Andy Lord and London Transport Old Comrades will also support fundraising efforts outside Tower Wharf to support the RBL’s activity for this year.
In support of the London Poppy Appeal, the IFS Cloud Cable Car cabins will be wrapped with poppies for the first time this year. TfL’s network will also host poppy theme-wrapped buses, poppy decals on the front of trains across the DLR, Underground, Overground and Elizabeth line. Poppy roundels will decorate select bus stations, Underground and Overground platforms and eight piers across the city will host flags in support of the armed forces and veterans.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m proud that once again TfL is supporting the London Poppy Appeal, which will see celebrities Bill Bailey and Ross Kemp fundraising alongside the thousands of volunteers who help to make the day happen.”
“I encourage commuters to give whatever they can to this year’s Poppy Appeal. These donations help the Royal British Legion provide crucial support to those who have done so much to serve our country, whether veterans, serving members of the armed forces, or their families.”
London’s Transport Commissioner, Andy Lord, said: “We are extremely proud to continue supporting the Royal British Legion in their fundraising efforts that support serving personnel, veterans and their families. We hope customers will spot our poppy tributes while they use the transport network and reflect on the service and sacrifice of our armed forces.”
Lucy Inskip, Director of the Poppy Appeal, said: “We’re excited that the Royal British Legion’s London Poppy Day is in its 18th year, and we invite people across the city to come and say hello to the many members of the military community who will be collecting for the Poppy Appeal in major transport hubs through the day. Your poppy shows you care and that the service and sacrifice of serving Armed Forces personnel, veterans, and their families will never be forgotten.”
The London Poppy Appeal is the biggest street collection of its kind in the UK. Manned by more than 2,000 uniformed personnel volunteering from the British Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, these collection stations are a unique opportunity for the public to interact with service personnel.
As a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, TfL takes pride in supporting the London Poppy Appeal and the veterans who work on the transport network. Their service has given them the critical skills required to effectively carry out their role as bus controllers, drivers, engineers and project managers.
This year, past and present members of the London Transport Old Comrades will march in the Remembrance Day Parade honouring the 4,500 transport staff who died in both wars and other conflicts.
London’s transport network will join the rest of the UK and fall silent at 11:00 on Armistice Day on 11 November to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Donations can be made using contactless payment methods to the London Poppy Appeal, helping the RBL provide crucial support to veterans of the armed forces and their dependents. This support includes providing physical and mental health recovery and wellbeing services and financial and employment advice. The RBL also campaigns for better treatment of serving and ex-serving personnel.
