Soldiers collecting donations for RBL's London Poppy Day 04112021 Credit MOD.jpg — The Poppy Appeal this year is aiming to "raise £1m in a day" (Picture: MOD).

Forces Charities

London Poppy Day fundraiser is back on after rail strike date rescheduled

London Poppy Day is back on for 3 November – after the RMT union rescheduled its planned strike.

The annual fundraising collection day – which raises up to £1m in a day for the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal – had been cancelled due to the planned rail strike.

However, the RMT (Rail, Maritime and Transport) union has said its executive has decided to rearrange strike action from 3 to 9 November to avoid impacting the event, which sees 2,000 military personnel and veterans collecting in transport hubs across the capital.

The RBL's Poppy Appeal Director, Simon O'Leary, said: "We are very grateful to the RMT for cancelling its strike action on Thursday 3 November, and we appreciate the significance of this gesture.

"We recognise and respect the right of all unions to take action for their members, and it was unfortunate on this occasion it would have had such a serious impact on our fundraising.

"We thank the RMT and urge everyone coming into London on 3 November to stop and say hello to one of the thousands of Armed Forces personnel who will now be back out in transport hubs and give what you can to this year's Poppy Appeal to help us raise £1m in a day."

The RMT union said it will continue its industrial campaign until it reaches a negotiated settlement on job security, pay, and working conditions.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "Our focus in this dispute is the rail employers who have yet to make an offer that will create the conditions for a negotiated settlement... we will vigorously pursue our industrial campaign until we achieve a deal."