WWII veteran raises over £2M for NHS charities at 99 years old

An English army veteran has raised over £2 million to assist the NHS in its fight against coronavirus, according to BBC News. The 99 year old initially set a fundraising target of £1,000, and once he hit it he just kept going.

Tom Moore set a goal to raise money by getting people to sponsor him doing 100 laps of his garden in Bedfordshire by Thursday, using a walking frame. Now, he plans to do another 100 to keep the momentum going.

NHS Charities noted that they were “truly inspired and humbled” by Moore.

Moore’s fundraising page has received donations from over 98,000 people across the world since last week when it was formed.

Moore started raising money in order to thank NHS staff who helped the veteran with his cancer treatment and his broken hip.

His goal was to walk 100 laps around his 25-metre (82ft) garden in sets of ten laps, before he turned 100 at the end of April.

When the money he raised hit over £1 million, Moore called it “almost unbelievable.”

“When you think of who it is all for—all those brave and super doctors and nurses we have got—I think they deserve every penny, and I hope we get some more for them too.”

The charity’s chief executive, Ellie Orton said, “I think I absolutely join the rest of the country in being truly inspired and profoundly humbled by Captain Tom and what he has achieved.”

“Thank you for being an inspiration and a role model.”

The money raised is being used for well-being packs for staff at the NHS, electronic devices used to allow hospital patients to talk to loved ones, recuperation rooms and support for patients that have been discharged from the hospital.

Moore was a civil engineer before joining the army during the WWII. He served in Burma and India and moved up the ranks to become a captain. He was born in Keighley, West Yorkshire.

“I do [laps] each day, so that eventually I'll get to 100, then after that I shall continue and do some more,” he said.

He called all of the support “absolutely fabulous.”

“Let's all carry on and remember that things will get better,” he said.

“We have had problems before—we have overcome them—and we shall all overcome the same thing again.”