After more than 15 years of providing free transport for veterans attending Remembrance Sunday commemorations in London, the much-loved Poppy Cabs initiative has announced it will now be known as Cabs for Veterans.
Founded in 2009 by a small group of London licensed taxi drivers, the volunteer-run service provides free transport across the capital for veterans on Remembrance Sunday. Every year, volunteer cab drivers generously give up their time and use their taxis to ensure veterans can travel safely between mainline railway stations, military clubs, the Cenotaph and Remembrance events across London.
In 2025, the Royal British Legion challenged the use of the word ‘Poppy’ in the name of the service and featured in its logo, citing its intellectual property rights. Despite discussions between the Royal British Legion and Poppy Cabs Coordinator Mike Hughes, an agreement could not be reached over the continued use of the name and logo. As a result, the volunteer initiative was rebranded as Cabs for Veterans in July 2026.
Mike Hughes, Coordinator of Cabs 4 Veterans, said:
“This has been incredibly upsetting for everyone involved. Poppy Cabs has become a much-loved and respected part of Remembrance Sunday and having to change a name that means so much to so many people has been heartbreaking.
“We have always had enormous respect for the Royal British Legion and the incredible work it does supporting the Armed Forces community. We have never seen ourselves as working against the Legion – quite the opposite. We have shared the same goal of supporting veterans and helping them take part in the nation’s Remembrance commemorations. Donatons have also raised thousands of pounds for both the Royal British Legion and the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans.
“While our name is changing, everything else remains exactly the same. Our wonderful volunteer taxi drivers will continue to give their time freely, and we will continue to ensure veterans can travel with dignity to the events that mean so much to them. We sincerely hope that everyone who has supported Poppy Cabs over the years will continue to support Cabs for Veterans as we carry this important tradition into the future.”
The new name, Cabs for Veterans, reflects the initiative’s sole purpose – providing free transport on Remembrance Sunday for those who have served their country .
Every Remembrance Sunday, hundreds of veterans rely on the service, with volunteer London taxi drivers covering thousands of miles to ensure no veteran is prevented from attending commemorative events in London because of transport difficulties. The initiative relies entirely on the generosity of licensed London taxi drivers who volunteer both their time and their taxis, together with the invaluable support of their friends and family members who help coordinate veterans and assist with transport throughout the day.
Although the name has changed, the commitment of London’s taxi drivers remains unwavering.
As Cabs for Veterans prepares for this year’s Remembrance Sunday, organisers are once again calling on licensed London taxi drivers and volunteers to help continue a tradition that has become an important part of the nation’s commemorations.
Mike added:
“The name may have changed, but our mission has not. We remain as committed as ever to ensuring that every veteran who wishes to pay their respects on Remembrance Sunday can do so with the dignity, comfort and respect they deserve.”
For further information or to volunteer, please visit www.cabs-for-veterans.uk
Comment from Dick Goodwin, Vice President of the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans
“I have been involved with supporting veterans for many years, and I can honestly say that this feels incredibly short-sighted.
“Every Remembrance Sunday I am in London, and there is no more moving sight than standing on Westminster Bridge as Big Ben chimes the start of the two-minute silence and seeing hundreds of London’s iconic black cabs lined up in quiet tribute. Each one represents a driver who has freely given up their time, their taxi and their earnings to ensure a veteran can take their rightful place at the Cenotaph. It is one of the most powerful and uniquely British displays of remembrance that I have ever witnessed.
“For more than 15 years, Poppy Cabs has become one of the most cherished traditions of Remembrance Sunday. It is loved not just across London, but throughout the UK and by veterans and visitors from around the world who see first-hand the generosity and compassion of London’s iconic black cab trade.
“This initiative has never worked against the Royal British Legion; it has always worked alongside it. The sole purpose has been to help veterans get to the Cenotaph with dignity and respect so they can honour their fallen comrades. The volunteer drivers have never asked for recognition or reward. They simply give up their time, their taxis and their earnings because they believe our veterans deserve nothing less.
“To see such a wonderful initiative forced to abandon a name that has become synonymous with kindness and remembrance is deeply disappointing. Having worked with the RBL for many years it’s difficult to understand why so much firepower was directed at a group of volunteers whose only aim is to help veterans. I struggle to understand why such a heavy-handed approach was considered necessary when both organisations share the same objective – supporting veterans and preserving the traditions of Remembrance.
“No one owns remembrance itself, and no one should lose sight of what really matters. The focus should always be on the men and women who served our country, not on legal arguments over a word that has become part of our national consciousness. You have to wonder where it ends. Will parents one day be told they cannot call their daughter Poppy?
“The name may have changed to Cabs for Veterans, but the spirit behind it never will. London’s taxi drivers will continue to do what they have always done – quietly, generously and with immense pride. They will continue to ensure that every veteran who wishes to attend the Cenotaph has the opportunity to do so. That is what this has always been about, and that is what it will always remain about.”
