The Mayor said: "I am humbled by the stories I have heard today of the bravery and commitment of the men and women who have served our country and those who have supported them in their time of need. London Poppy Day gives us all the perfect opportunity to give something back and I know Londoners across the city will be joining me to help raise more than a £1 million in a day so that The Royal British Legion can continue its excellent and life-enhancing work."
Following the Mayor's lead, more than 2,000 volunteers representing the Army, Navy, RAF, the Mayor's Team London Ambassadors and a host of other companies, will collect donations at 80 Tube and mainline railway stations on London Poppy Day. The money raised on the day will go towards the Legion's overall Poppy Appeal fundraising target of £37 million.
The Mayor also marked the launch by making a contactless donation to London Poppy Day. Last year London Poppy Day went contactless for the first time, which helped increase the number of donations by making it easier for people to buy a poppy. This year Barclaycard will have 200 volunteers taking contactless payments across the capital to help drive donations even higher.
While at the event the Mayor met Ken Bellringer, who is serving in the 11 EOD regiment, Royal Logistics Corps. Ken was working as a bomb disposal expert in Afghanistan in 2009 when he was seriously injured in an IED incident, losing both his legs above the knee. Ken has been supported by the Legion's Poppy Calls handy van service - which makes household repairs and minor adaptations around the home - on numerous occasions.
He comments: "The Legion's support has given me an immeasurable amount of comfort. One phone call and the Poppy Calls team have come in and fixed things around the house, it's the small jobs that I would have normally been able to do. It takes a huge amount of pressure off my wife Chris, she has had to cope with so much. The journey for her has been a huge challenge mentally, dealing with me, my injuries, our children, she has kept our family together. I can't really comprehend what she has gone through. As I get older, I know that I will be able to do less and less, and I know that The Royal British Legion will be there to support me and my family in the future."
Charles Byrne, Director of Fundraising at The Royal British Legion, said: "London Poppy Day has begun with a real bang this year. On Thursday, Londoners can look forward to a buzz in the capital with uniformed personnel collecting across the transport network, and activities throughout the day. We're asking Londoners to help raise more than £1 million in 24 hours to support serving, ex-Service people and their families. London Poppy Day, part of The Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal, is the UK's largest street fundraising day and is a chance for people to stand shoulder to shoulder with those who serve."
Paulette Rowe, Managing Director of Global Payment Acceptance, Barclaycard said: "We are delighted to be supporting London Poppy Day once again. People can make quick and easy donations by tapping their contactless credit cards, debit cards or payment enabled mobile phones on one of more than a hundred mobile card payment terminals spread across the Capital."
The Legion spends £1.6 million each week providing direct, practical support to people like Ken and other members of the armed forces community. London Poppy Day will help raise the vital funds they need to carry on with this important work. Since November 2008 war veterans have been able to travel on the Tube, DLR, Overground, London buses and trams for free with a Veterans Oyster photocard as part of the Mayor's veterans concessionary travel scheme. In 2012, the Mayor added to this commitment by introducing free travel for all armed forces personnel travelling in uniform on London Underground, Bus, Tram, DLR and Overground.
