Jo Brand Lends Her Voice as London Poppy Day Takes Over TfL

This year, TfL and the Royal British Legion joined forces with Jo Brand to encourage donations for serving soldiers, veterans, and their families. The aim was to raise as much as one million pounds in a single day, with more than two thousand volunteers, veterans, and Armed Forces personnel collecting at over seventy stations from early morning to evening.

London’s transport system received a striking makeover for the occasion. Eight London buses were specially wrapped in bright poppy designs and put on display at Alexandra Palace before entering service on the capital’s roads. Alexandra Palace itself played a historic role in both world wars, once serving as a refuge and a communications base. The network wide tribute extended across TfL’s trains, including the Elizabeth line, Overground, Underground, Trams, DLR, and even the IFS Cloud Cable Car, all decorated with bespoke poppy illustrations.

At several major bus and rail stations, classic roundel signs were transformed with poppy motifs. Stations such as Hammersmith, Harrow, Kingston, and Turnpike Lane were among those to receive the distinctive poppy roundels. These visual touches ensured that the message reached across the city and was impossible to ignore for regular passengers and newcomers alike.

 

Throughout the day, volunteers handed out poppy pins and encouraged people to give what they could, either with spare coins or contactless donations. The response from the public highlighted London’s continuing commitment to remembrance and to looking after those who have served.

Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport, described the campaign as a moving tribute. He said he was proud London’s transport system could play such a visible part in honouring the nation’s service personnel. Andy Lord, Transport Commissioner, urged everyone using public transport to donate and help support the Royal British Legion’s vital work.

The Royal British Legion does more than organise the annual appeal. The charity is dedicated to providing practical support for those currently serving, veterans, and their families. Every donation helps fund physical and mental health care, social support, and financial guidance for those adjusting to life after the armed forces.

For many, the campaign had extra significance. Staff from across the network, including both current and former employees, are set to play key roles in events leading up to Remembrance Sunday. London Transport’s Old Comrades will march in tribute to those who lost their lives in war, and at eleven o’clock on Armistice Day, the entire network will pause for a city wide two minutes of silence.

The partnership between TfL and the Royal British Legion is about more than just raising funds. For TfL, it is also about supporting ex service people who now work as drivers, engineers, controllers, and other essential roles within the organisation. The Armed Forces Covenant is a living promise, reflected in the day’s events and year round support.

Jo Brand brought her signature warmth and spirit, making the message easily accessible for everyone. Her experience as a former NHS nurse and well known Londoner ensured that her words resonated with the city’s diverse population, helping London Poppy Day break through the bustle and encourage acts of kindness.

By the end of the day, the real story was not just about the money collected. It was seen in the countless small gestures, stories exchanged at collection points, shared silences at stations, and poppies proudly worn by strangers. Each year, London Poppy Day makes the city pause and reflect on what remembrance means in daily life.

For transport enthusiasts, seeing poppy wrapped buses and unique station roundels added to the excitement. London’s vehicles and stations are already part of the city’s character. On Poppy Day, they take on a new role, turning familiar journeys into acts of collective memory.