Poppy Cabs, the Remembrance Sunday free taxi service, is preparing for the 2022 service on Sunday 13 November.
Poppy Cabs availability has become something that is, for many wishing to attend, an integral part of the decision to attend the annual Service and Parade. Indeed, especially for those wheelchair users, it would be almost impossible to attend without the help provided by London’s taxi service.
There are more than 1000 free taxi journeys in just 2 hours for the veterans going to and from the Cenotaph service with drivers, knowledge students and family members helping to marshal the event. Many drivers give up their day entirely for this service with others providing free service from the normal taxi ranks.
We will have our ‘turn up and go’ hub locations which includes
Victory Services Club
Union Jack Club
Kings Cross (main line)
Liverpool Street
Paddington (main line)
Fenchurch Street
London Bridge
Victoria (main line)
Victoria coach station
Waterloo (main line)
Euston
Marylebone
In addition, there are a number of special pickups for wheelchair users, those with ambulatory problems and some larger groups. The majority of veterans are taken to Admiralty Arch for the service and parade, but some are taken to other locations such as Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park Corner or Grosvenor Gardens where there are special services.
Return journeys start from Westminster Bridge, where taxis are lined up to take the veterans back to their various locations with a small pickup point at Admiralty Arch for wheelchair users.
There is no single organisation that organises the Poppy Cab service. The drivers provide their taxis and their time free of charge to the veterans. The independent coordinator prior to the event is Mike Hughes (mike@mikehughes.org.uk) who matches drivers with special need users. On the actual day there are a number of drivers, knowledge students and family members who marshal the event, helping veterans into the taxis at each pick up point to ensure a smooth journey for those attending the Remembrance Sunday service and parade.
Funded entirely by the drivers themselves, this is seen, alongside events organised by The Taxi Charity and others, as one of the highlights of the taxi trade year when taxi drivers make a special effort to pay back part of the debt owed to our military veterans.
We are intending to have vintage taxis take part in the event, including some that have been used on television and in films. Add to this the latest taxis available for drivers to see first hand and it all adds to the experience for those attending the event.
Although the Chelsea Pensioners, resplendent in their scarlet uniforms are represented by a group that march in the general parade, a number of residents of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea that are unable to stand for any length of time are catered for by specially detailed Poppy Cabs that collect them from Chelsea, transport them to and from Westminster Bridge where they can mark the eleventh hour.
All London taxis are wheelchair accessible, a feature much appreciated by many of those attending the service and parade at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.
You can follow Poppy Cabs on Twitter @PoppyCabs
For further information on Poppy Cabs only, contact Mike Hughes by SMS on 07973 430022 or email at: mike@mikehughes.org.uk or PoppyCab@virginmedia.com
For all other queries with regard to the Cenotaph Parade, please contact the Commemorative Events Team at: cenotaph@britishlegion.org.uk
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The Royal British Legion is the UK's leading Service charity. We provide practical care, advice and support to serving members of the Armed Forces, veterans of all ages and their families.