He was truly one of us. May he RIP
Captain Moore raised over 39 M pounds for NHS charities by doing 100 laps to coincide with his approaching 100th Birthday. His mission was to leave a lasting legacy for the NHS. He captured the hearts of the Great British public in a way that has astounded everyone. The money he raised will help NHS charities to care for all those who are, during this pandemic, experiencing loneliness as well as a no. of other mental and physical ailments. That he was able to appeal to the conscience of British public also exemplifies the love we all have for this sacred organisation.
Members of the SLMDA will feel a kinship with Sir Tom. We are currently employed in the NHS or have recently retired. At various times we and our families have been looked after by this fantastic organisation. This is our story as well as Captain Sir Tom Moore’s
SLMDA
Captain Sir Thomas Moore (30 April 1920 – 2 February 2021), popularly known as Captain Tom, was a British Army officer and businessman known for raising money for charity in the run-up to his 100th birthday during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moore served in India and the Burma campaign during the Second World War, and later became an instructor in armoured warfare. After the war, he worked as managing director of a concrete company and was an avid motorcycle racer.
On 6 April 2020, at the age of 99, Moore began to walk lengths of his garden in aid of NHS Charities Together, with the goal of raising £1,000 by his 100th birthday. In the 24-day course of his fundraising, he made many media appearances and became a popular household name in the UK, earning a number of accolades and attracting over 1.5 million individual donations. In recognition of his efforts, he received the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award at the 2020 ceremony. He performed in a cover version of the song “You’ll Never Walk Alone” sung by Michael Ball, with proceeds going to the same charity. The single topped the UK music charts, making him the oldest person to achieve a UK number one.
On the morning of Moore’s hundredth birthday, the total raised by his walk passed £30 million, and by the time the campaign closed at the end of that day had increased to over £32.79 million (worth almost £39 million with expected tax rebates). His birthday was marked in a number of ways, including flypasts by the Royal Air Force and the British Army. He received over 150,000 cards, and was appointed as honorary colonel of the Army Foundation College. On 17 July 2020, he was personally invested as a Knight Bachelor by the Queen at Windsor Castle. He died on 2 February 2021 at Bedford Hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
