100 years old. £29 million raised for the NHS. 135,000 birthday cards received. 160,000 cards expected in total. 30kg of stamps which will raise £600 for charity. £60,000 received in the cards. 150 volunteers. 1,750 man-hours. 200 metres of ribbon. We salute you Captain Tom! pic.twitter.com/k7F4i1ish0
— Bedford School (@BedfordSchool) April 28, 2020
About a month before his 100th birthday, World War II veteran Captain Tom Moore promised to walk 100 laps of his backyard garden to raise money for the British National Health Service, or NHS. His inspiring efforts captured hearts across the U.K. and within days, Moore surpassed his initial goal of £1,000 (about $1,258) by thousands, and then, quickly, by millions of pounds. By the time of his birthday on April 30, the veteran had raised over £30 million (about $37,753,500) for the cause—sparking nation-wide hope and admiration.
Originally from Yorkshire, Moore served in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (8 DWR) at the beginning of WWII and was later posted to India and fought on the Arakan. The Captain explained that the NHS was wonderful in assisting him with his health issues over the years, and so he was eager to return the favor after seeing the toll of the coronavirus pandemic on medical personnel and resources. Soon enough, Moore's compassion was recognized by thousands, including Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, who donated an undisclosed amount to the fundraiser.
It did not take long for the UK to return their appreciation for the veteran, with an online petition requesting knighthood for Moore amassing over 1 million signatures. Additionally, the British public has sent him over 150,000 birthday cards, which have been displayed in a hall at Bedford School in Bedfordshire, where Moore's grandson attends. Among the thousands of cards are well wishes from Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, Dame Kelly Holmes, and English footballer Harry Kane. “What a wonderful day full of well wishes, kindness, and plenty of cake! Can't think of a better way to finish than clapping extra loudly for all the NHS heroes who continue to do such a magnificent job for us all,” says Moore on Twitter. The unstoppable veteran intends to keep his fundraiser open as he sets to work on completing another 100 laps.
You can donate to Moore's NHS fundraiser via JustGiving.
World War II veteran Captain Tom Moore walked 100 laps ahead of his 100th birthday to raise money for the British National Health Service.
Our Great Hall has been transformed into a sea of 100th birthday cards for Captain Tom. His grandson Benjie, a Fifth Former here at school, has been showing his grandfather photos of the cards as they have been arriving. The Captain has been ‘blown away' by the sheer number. pic.twitter.com/CqXqVyN6dt
— Bedford School (@BedfordSchool) April 28, 2020
By the time of his birthday on April 30, Moore had raised over £30 million (nearly $38 million) for the NHS.
Just received a rather special birthday card from Her Majesty The Queen @RoyalFamily pic.twitter.com/jqIxpVFBRH
— Captain Tom Moore (@captaintommoore) April 30, 2020
In return, the British people sent over 150,000 birthday cards to Moore.
How many birthday cards can one man read?🎉
Colonel Tom Moore has received 150,000 birthday cards to mark his 100th birthday which included around £60,000. @SwainITV reports from a sea of birthday cards in Bedford.#HappybirthdaycaptainTom #Captaintom100 #GMB pic.twitter.com/3jwidOKTXr
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) April 30, 2020
Beautiful tribute to @CaptainTomMoore 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/RAdD9joiCd
— LADbible (@ladbible) April 28, 2020
What a wonderful day full of well wishes, kindness and plenty of cake! Can't think of a better way to finish than clapping extra loudly for all the @NHSuk heroes who continue to do such a magnificent job for us all#100thbirthday#ClapForOurCarers#TomorrowWillBeAGoodDay pic.twitter.com/JgcJAYUrvx
— Captain Tom Moore (@captaintommoore) April 30, 2020
Captain Tom Moore: JustGiving | Twitter | Youtube
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