Poppy Truck’s owner hits out at legal threat
Royal British Legion accused of bullying
THE ROYAL British Legion has been accused of “bullying” after threatening legal action against a lorry driver whose “Poppy Truck” has gained a national following and earned thousands for the charity.
Christine Langham spent £15,000 doing up her DAF truck with First and Second World War images, as well as scenes of wild poppies.
Since last September she has appeared at a number of Royal British Legion events, as well as Poppy Appeal launches in East Kirkby and Boston Market in Lincolnshire, using the truck as a crowd puller, with donations going into RBL buckets.
Earlier this year she trademarked “Poppy Truck and Team Poppy” to prevent “unscrupulous” businesses taking advantage. Then out of the blue last week the RBL contacted her asking her to give up her trademark because it would “potentially damage” its brand, and threatening action if she does not.
The RBL said it “would take formal action to oppose your trademark if we cannot amicably agree for its withdrawal.”
Mrs Langham, from Sunk Island, who was banned from a fundraiser for the Poppy Appeal at Mablethorpe on Sunday, said: “I’m just there as a support vehicle, there to raise the profile, so it generates more funding.
“People come over and have a look at the truck as it’s big and bold, then they go and make a donation. I’ve done this as a way of saying thanks to all those who died. It is all out of my own pocket.
“It seems like bullying because the truck is getting very popular.”
The RBL also contacted Ben Lord, managing director of Speedbird Promotions, which is making scale models of the truck, suggesting he put production on hold, because of the potential legal ramifications of the case. But Mr Lord was concerned it would end in “publicly-raised money being used in nonsensical legal action against an individual who has a track record of transparently benefiting not just the RBL but other forces-related charities.”
He intends to go ahead with production and honour his pledge to make a contribution from each model sold to this year’s Poppy Appeal.
He added: “We firmly believe there is a huge opportunity for the RBL and the Poppy Truck to work together positively to the benefit of what remembrance stands for and would remind everyone concerned that this is where our focus, efforts and donations are best spent rather than lining the pockets of lawyers in unnecessary quarrelling.”
On the Intellectual Property Office website there are hundreds of registered trademarks containing the word Poppy – including Poppy Delevingne and Poppy Travel. Only a handful are held by the Royal British Legion.
Her followers on Facebook have also been staunchly in support. Some have appealed to the RBL to rethink. Craig Todd said: “The truck is a symbol that gets people talking about a topic that should never be forgotten. The RBL should be utterly ashamed of themselves for what they are doing.”