On Wednesday 01 November the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Rt Hon Tobias Ellwood MP, the Director General of The Royal British Legion, and over 90 Members of Parliament raced alongside serving members of The Armed Forces on an exercise bike to raise money for The Royal British Legion’s annual Poppy Appeal.
The 12 hour bike ride was held from 08:00 to 20:00 in Portcullis House, Parliament and aimed to raise money for the Legion’s national Poppy Appeal. Gillian Keegan MP represented her constituency of Chichester by cycling as far as she could in 5 minutes managing to cycle 2.66km in 5 minutes.
The bike ride was organised by the Industry and Parliament Trust (IPT) and The Royal British Legion following on from the successful bike ride held in 2016 (where 77 MPs and Peers cycled a total of 128.8 miles in 12 hours). This year’s race emphasised that The Royal British Legion will once again be asking the nation to ‘Rethink Remembrance’ and consider the meaning of the poppy as a symbol of Remembrance and hope.
MPs were encouraged to donate as they take part, with all of the money raised on the day going to help The Royal British Legion provide lifelong support for the Armed Forces community. The Central Parliamentary Poppy Appeal is the only charity that can fundraise in Parliament.
Nick Maher CEO of the IPT said:
“The work of The Royal British Legion is essential to the lives of the whole Armed Forces community across the UK and I am delighted that MPs and Peers are supporting us in our efforts to raise money for such a worthwhile cause. The support and enthusiasm from parliamentarians and service men and women has been fantastic’
The Royal British Legion is at the heart of a national network that supports our Armed Forces community through thick and thin – ensuring their unique contribution is never forgotten. Best known for the annual Poppy Appeal and our role as the national custodian of Remembrance, the Legion is the largest welfare provider in the Armed Forces charity sector, providing financial, social and emotional support, information, advice and comradeship to Service personnel, veterans and their dependents.