Captain Tom was already in his ninety-ninth year, on April 6th 2020 when he started walking the lengths of his garden to raise money for the NHS. At first only his friends and family sponsored him The spirit of the nation was low, as the pandemic tightened its grip on the country and across the world.
The media on the lookout for good news, came to hear about him and Captain Tom by his courageous example and cheerful philosophy of hope, became a national hero. Donations flooded in and by the time of his Birthday on April 30th 2020 the total passed £30 million, reaching £32.79 million by the end of the day!!
On his Birthday, Captain Tom was honoured by a military fly past, was made an Honorary Colonel of the Army Foundation College, and received 15 0,000 Birthday Cards. All stamped post between 26th April – 1st May were marked “Happy 100th Birthday Captain Thomas Moore NHS fundraising hero 30th April 2020”
He became the oldest person to reach UK no 1 in the charts with a single “You’ll never walk alone” recorded with the singer Michael Ball. Then on 17th July 2020 he was knighted by the Queen and became Sir Thomas Moore.
Tom had served in the Second World War in Burma, now Myanmar, as part of the Forgotten Army, whose valiant service was somewhat overshadowed by the successful completion of the War in Europe. In 2018 Tom had suffered serious injuries in what he termed a “silly fall” and worked hard at his rehabilitation, believing always that “Tomorrow Will be a Good Day.” He undertook his charity walk in 2020 with a hip and two knee replacements, using a mobility walker. His efforts inspired other people, both old and young to raise money for the NHS
.
Now that Tom has sadly died on February 2nd 2021, there is much discussion on how best to honour him. His home town of Keightley is considering a statute, and further discussions on a national level will no doubt take place.
Today there was a minute’s silence before the start of Parliamentary Questions to remember Tom and over 105 thousand people who have died from COVID-19 in the U.K. Tom himself succumbed to the virus, as he was unable to be vaccinated due to his medical condition.
Tonight at 6pm the Prime Minister invited the nation to clap for Tom. This form of appreciation has fallen out of favour recently, but maybe it will be revived this evening for Sir Thomas Moore.
You may also like
-
The August Bank Holiday in the UK: A Celebratory End to Summer
-
The August Bank Holiday in the UK: A Celebratory End to Summer
-
Driving on the Left: A Unique Practice Rooted in History
-
UK Sinks: Navigating the Tradition of Separate Taps for Hot and Cold Water
-
7 UK places nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Site