.jpg)
‘BEST CABBIES IN THE WORLD’: Cabs for Veterans take to London streets on Remembrance Sunday to help 100’s of war veterans attend
London taxi drivers volunteered their time on Remembrance Sunday to take veterans to commemorative events across the capital, continuing a service that has operated for more than 15 years.
The initiative, now called Cabs for Veterans, was founded in 2009 as Poppy Cabs by a small group of licensed London taxi drivers. On Remembrance Sunday, drivers use their taxis to provide free transport between mainline railway stations, military clubs, the Cenotaph and other events.
The rebrand followed a challenge by the Royal British Legion in 2025 over the initiative’s use of the word “Poppy” in its name and logo. Discussions between the Legion and coordinator Mike Hughes did not result in an agreement to retain them, and the service adopted the name Cabs for Veterans in July 2026.
The name changed, but the service continued. Organisers say hundreds of veterans use the volunteer taxi service each year, with drivers collectively covering thousands of miles. Friends and relatives of drivers also help coordinate journeys and transport arrangements.
Broadcaster Piers Morgan praised the cabbies in a post on X, writing: “Best cabbies in the world, and this is one of the many reasons why.”
Presenter and barrister Rob Rinder also paid tribute, recalling that his father and grandfather were London cabbies. He wrote that his father would have been on Westminster Bridge “waiting to take our veterans home”, adding that he had “never been prouder” of the two generations of his family who worked in the trade.
Hughes has said the name change was upsetting for those involved, as Poppy Cabs had become closely associated with Remembrance Sunday. He also said the organisers respected the Royal British Legion’s work and shared the aim of supporting former members of the Armed Forces.
Donations connected with the initiative have raised thousands of pounds for the Royal British Legion and the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, according to Hughes. He said the volunteer drivers would continue offering free journeys so veterans could travel to the events that matter to them.
