Spitfires in Covent Garden for poppy appeal

 
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Ross Lydall @RossLydall1 November 2012

The Spitfire is one of the most enduring symbols of the Second World War and today it was used to remind Londoners to support this year’s Poppy appeal.

A replica of the famous warplane arrived in Covent Garden this morning after being towed from its owner’s home in Lowestoft, Suffolk.

“It’s to get people interested and draw the crowds in,” said Terry Arlow, 56, who spent 28 years building the aircraft from parts taken from 10 original Spitfires. Although an exact replica to look at, the plane cannot fly.

As veterans hit the capital’s streets to raise £1 million toward the Royal British Legion’s funding of care for former service personnel, model Nell McAndrew, Olympic rower Heather Stanning and opera singer Laura Wright posed with the Spitfire before embarking on a Routemaster bus tour of 70 Tube stations.

Captain Stanning, who returned to the Royal Artillery in September after winning Britain’s first gold medal of the Olympics with rowing partner Helen Glover, said: “The Royal British Legion does an awful lot for serving personnel and ex-personnel. It’s only fitting to get involved with the Poppy appeal.” Capt Stanning, who expects to be deployed to Afghanistan in the New Year, added: “They don’t forget the people from past wars and they are helping people in this day and age. Unfortunately, people are still getting injured.”

Ms McAndrew said: “It’s really important to encourage people in all walks of life to get involved. Last year, we had over 350,000 volunteers and we want to better that this year. If everybody else is donating their time, the royal family is no different and they should help, too — especially with all their military connections.”

The group’s second stop on the bus tour was St James’s Palace, where the Prince of Wales spoke to volunteers, including members of the legion’s riders’ branch.

The prince was unable to resist the chance to hop on the bus — owned and driven by Transport for London commissioner Peter Hendy, who said: “The British Legion have been looking after veterans for 100 years. There still are veterans even in this terrible modern world, and they need looking after.”

The prince also took a look at a Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe bike, the same model ridden across the US last year by Prince Harry.

Dave Hughes, a former Royal Engineer, offered the prince, 63, the chance to emulate his son. “I said, ‘Do you want to go for a ride?’ but he said he was too busy today. He said he is too old to ride. He said he had to give up horse riding.”

The Standard can reveal that Boris Johnson has outdone David Cameron in his generosity towards the appeal.The Mayor gave £20 while the Prime Minister put £10 in the collection tin at Downing Street.

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