The Royal British Legion took fundraising to new heights today as barrister and broadcaster Rob Rinder and the Royal Marines abseil team went into action at Waterloo Station to launch the RBL’s London Poppy Day.
Now in its 19th year, London Poppy Day will see 3,000 Armed Forces serving personnel and volunteers collecting across the capital hoping to raise £1million for the Royal British Legion’s in Europe’s biggest street collection.
British barrister and broadcaster Rob Rinder MBE, who is Honorary Colonel Commandant of the Royal Corps of Army Music, will join Poppy Appeal collectors at London’s Waterloo Station to show his support for the Royal British Legion.
He will be joined by the Royal Marines as they go into action abseiling by the station’s iconic Clock Tower, encouraging the public to donate and wear a poppy to support the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.
Host of ITV’s Judge Rinder, Rob was called to the bar in 2001 and has since built a diverse career across law, television, and journalism, appearing on programmes including Good Morning Britain, and is a passionate advocate for Holocaust education and social justice.
“It’s a privilege to be part of the Royal British Legion’s London Poppy Day, a moment when people from every corner of our country come together to honour those who have served. The men and women of our Armed Forces represent the very best of who we are: courage, duty, and quiet sacrifice.
The poppy isn’t just a symbol of remembrance; it’s a sign of gratitude and unity, a reminder that our freedoms were bought at great cost, and that we each have a part to play in caring for those who served.
The Royal British Legion stands beside veterans and their families when life gets hard, offering help, hope, and dignity. Supporting them isn’t just charity, it’s a reflection of our shared values as a nation. Every donation, every poppy worn, keeps alive the spirit of the greatest generation and ensures that no one who served is ever forgotten.”
Rob Rinder MBE
“We’re excited to celebrate the 19th year of the Royal British Legion’s London Poppy Day and want to invite everyone across the city to come and meet members of our Armed Forces community collecting for the Poppy Appeal. With military bands and choirs performing across major stations in London, it’s the perfect time to come together and show your support for our serving personnel, veterans, and their families.”
Lucy Inskip, Poppy Appeal Director at the Royal British Legion
“I am delighted to be supporting London Poppy Day 2025, the biggest street collection of its kind in Europe. I’d like to personally thank all the incredible Armed Forces personnel and Poppy Appeal collectors who are out fundraising across the capital. I know Londoners will again show their generosity and help the Royal British Legion to continue their amazing work supporting veterans, personnel and their families.”
Sir Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London
This year the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal highlights how, when a veteran’s life falls apart, the RBL is there to help rebuild it. At any given moment, the RBL is helping more than 7,000 members of the Armed Forces community with expert advice and practical support. Donations from London Poppy Day and the Poppy Appeal raise vital funds to support the Armed Forces community for life, with the simple act of wearing a poppy sending a personal message of thanks and recognition to those who have served.
The Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal was launched at FRAMELESS, London’s leading immersive art experience where veterans supported by the RBL gathered amid a spectacular poppy landscape projection.
During the Remembrance weekend, visitors to FRAMELESS will be able to step into this stunning Poppy themed gallery, as the nation comes together to honour the service and sacrifice of British and Commonwealth Armed Forces.
As part of its support for the RBL, UK serving personnel and veterans are being offered free entry to FRAMELESS from Saturday 8th November to Armistice Day on Tuesday 11th November with limited tickets available which must be booked in advance at www.frameless.com and with ID verification shown on arrival.
Founded in 1921, the Appeal aims to raise over £50 million to fund the RBL’s vital work supporting serving personnel, veterans and their families throughout their lives with whatever the need, whenever it’s needed.
For more information on how to support this year’s Poppy Appeal, please visit rbl.org.uk.
Military bands and choirs will be performing at 14 stations including Kings Cross, Euston and London Bridge. Commuters will also hear a specially recorded Tannoy announcement from TV comedian Jo Brand, inviting them to get involved in London Poppy Day, which began in 2006 with 10 volunteer veterans from the RBL’s Lloyds of London Branch raising £500.
Military Bands and Locations:
| Charing Cross | London Scottish Pipes & Drums |
| Liverpool Street | RAF Pipes & Drums |
| Waterloo | RAF Band and Military Wives Choir |
| Victoria | Royal Marines Band Collingwood |
| Canary Wharf | Gurkha Band & First Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles |
| London Bridge | Pinstripe Pipers & Honourable Artillery Company & Met Police Choir |
| Marylebone | Band of the Welsh Guards |
| Kings Cross | Army Engagement Ensemble SCB |
| St Pancras | RBL Band & Military Wives Choir |
| Paddington | Band of the Coldstream Guards |
| Leadenhall | IG Band |
| Euston | D-Day Darlings |
| Heathrow | Soldiers of Swing & BA Orchestra & Cadet Band |
| Canon Street | Pinstripe Pipers |
In 2018, sponsored by partners Links signs, TfL helped to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War with the introduction of Poppy Roundels at 14 stations across the London Underground and Overground networks. Stations were selected recognising and remembering those devastated during the London Blitz of the Second World War.
London Underground stations with Poppy Roundels:
- Balham
- Bounds Green
- Bethnal Green
- Baker Street
- Canary Wharf
- Kings Cross
- Westminster
- London Bridge
- Tower Hill
London Overground stations with Poppy Roundels:
- Hackney Downs
- Hatch End
- Hoxton
- Shepherds Bush
- South Tottenham
London Bus Stations with Poppy Roundels:
- Harrow
- Turnpike Lane
- Vauxhall
- Hammersmith
- Kingston
- Victoria Coach Station