I don’t think anyone could fail to be touched by the magnificent Captain Tom Moore who has raised more than £32 million for NHS Charities Together as his fundraising page closed this week.
The war veteran, who turned 100 years old this week and who has raised millions for the NHS by walking laps of his garden, has been made an honorary colonel to mark his massive achievement. He initially wanted to raise £1,000 for NHS Charities Together.
The occasion was also marked with an RAF flypast and the Queen and prime minister Boris Johnson sent birthday greetings.
Tens of thousands of birthday cards have been sent to Captain Tom, who served in India and Burma during World War Two. Around 140,000 cards are on display at Bedford School, where his grandson, Benjie Ingram-Moore, is a pupil.
Captain Tom was recently treated for a broken hip and skin cancer.
A six year old boy has followed in Captain Tom’s footsteps. Wilber Turpin, who has a rare chromosome abnormality which makes it difficult for him to walk, walked 10 miles in 10 days, raising more than £4,000 in the process for the NHS.
Remarkably, Wilber has been walking with the aid of a walker for just 18 months and is unable to take any steps without it.
Coincidentally, Wilber's grandad Keith once worked with Captain Tom.
Adding to the fantastic fundraising for the NHS is six year old Frank Mills who has spina bifida and who has raised more than £60,000 by walking 10 metres a day after being inspired by Captain Tom Moore.
Frank, who also only started walking just 18 months ago, initially wanted to raise £99 to match Captain Tom’s age before his special birthday this week, but this target was soon surpassed massively as young Frank raised £60,000.
Earlier this week, there was further uplifting news as a six month old baby left Alder Hey hospital intensive care unit in Liverpool to applause and a guard of honour after beating coronavirus.
Erin Bates, who required open heart surgery shortly after birth and experienced windpipe problems, tested positive for the coronavirus on April 10. But following two weeks in intensive care, Erin was moved out of isolation after beating the virus.
