War veteran, 99, is walking a mile and a half in his garden for the NHS
Tom Moore has raised over £46,000.
A World War Two veteran has vowed to walk 2,500 metres in his back garden to raise money for the NHS.
Tom Moore, 99, relies on a walking frame to get around but has decided to take on the challenge to raise funds for NHS heroes during the pandemic.
His garden is 25 metres long, and he plans to walk it 100 times before he turns 100 at the end of April.
Tom began his daily laps of the garden in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, on Monday this week, in a bid to raise money for NHS Charities Together.
After just four days, the former civil engineer has been left ‘amazed’ – as he has so far raised more than £46,000.
Tom, who served as an officer with the 145 Regiment Royal Armoured Corps from 1940, said: ‘It’s difficult to imagine all these kind people who have donated so far.
‘I think it’s just amazing.’
Tom added that the NHS have been ‘marvellous’ in helping him recover from both a hip replacement, and skin cancer on his head, over the last couple of years.
The grandfather-of-four is walking 10 lengths a day in his garden – equivalent to swimming five lengths of an Olympic swimming pool each day.
He said: ‘I’m finding it fine. The weather is lovely, I couldn’t wish for better.’
Tom has lived with his daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, and her husband and two children, for the past 12 years.
Hannah, a manager at recruiting company Maytrix Group, said: ‘I’m so proud of him.
‘All he wants is to put money in the pockets of the NHS. He’s so chuffed about how much he’s raised so far – it’s incredible.’
Hannah added: ‘He turns 100 on April 30, and my sister and I had been planning a huge party for him, but obviously we can’t do that now.
‘But he told us that he wanted to do 100 lengths of the garden before he turns 100.’
Maytrix Group are donating £1 for every length Tom completes – but Hannah says that if he keeps up his current pace, he will exceed his target 100 lengths.
She said: ‘He’s smashing it so far. His aim is 100, but I think he intends to do more.’
Tom was born and raised in Keighley, Yorkshire, where he went to grammar school and later went on to complete an apprenticeship as a Civil Engineer.
He was then enlisted in 145 RAC at the beginning of the war, and in 1940 was selected for Officer Training.
After completion, Captain Tom Moore went on to be posted in the 9 DWR in India and served and fought on the Arakan and Burma.
He later returned to the UK to become an Instructor at The Armoured Fighting Vehicle School in Bovington, Dorset.
To support Tom’s walk, click here.