Public urged to take up ‘Captain Tom 100’
THE family of Captain Sir Tom Moore are encouraging people to celebrate his spirit of generosity by taking on their own “Captain Tom 100” charity challenge on what would have been the weekend of his 101st birthday.
Second World War veteran Sir Tom raised more than £32 million for the NHS by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday on April 30 last year.
He died at Bedford Hospital on February 2 after testing positive for Covid-19.
His daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore is urging people to create their own challenge themed around the number 100 to raise money for the Captain Tom Foundation or a charity of their choice.
They are encouraged to take on their challenge between Friday April 30 and the Bank Holiday Monday on May 3.
Details of the Captain Tom 100 were revealed on April
6 – a year to the day since Sir Tom started walking laps of his garden in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire.
Hannah said her family are “still a grieving family” but “propelled forward by hope”.
“I really hope people see this for what it is, which is an absolute chance to bring joy, put money back into charities and support the Captain Tom Foundation, which after all is the legacy of hope that he’s left us behind,” she said.
The family will take part by continuing Sir Tom’s walk.
Challenges could include walking 100 steps, scoring 100 goals, baking 100 cakes or writing a 100-word poem.
Sir Tom knew before he died that a 101st birthday celebration was being planned for him and that this was to be an inclusive event, Hannah said.
She said he would have thought that the Captain Tom 100 was “brilliant”, adding: “He was a Yorkshireman remember at the end of the day, not trending towards excitement most of the time.
“But he would have just felt proud to the core.”