Veteran inundated with 100th birthday cards after raising millions for health workers
After Captain Tom Moore’s incredible feat of raising more than AU$54m for the UK health service, people across the country are now showing their appreciation by celebrating his upcoming 100th birthday.
The 99-year-old war veteran, who raised the cash for NHS health workers during the coronavirus crisis by walking 100 laps of his garden, has been sent 90,000 cards ahead of the big day on 30 April.
As well as cards, the war hero has been sent gifts – but he has asked people to donate them to care homes instead.
He wrote on Twitter: “I have very kindly been offered lots of lovely items, such as walkers, chairs and other items”.
“I have everything I need, so instead of giving to me, perhaps you could donate these generous offers to a local care home. Thank you.”
Captain Moore’s fundraising has won him a legion of fans, and he has been sent so many birthday cards that a dedicated sorting office has been set up at his grandson's school, Bedford School.
The school hall has now been nicknamed “Captain Tom's sorting office” and the cards are being opened by volunteers and displayed, with photographs being taken of them to show Capt Moore as many as possible.
His 16-year-old grandson, Benjie Ingram-Moore, told BBC Breakfast: "I think a lot of the cards are so heartfelt and it really shows the effort people have put in”.
"I think he will really appreciate that.
"I'm going to try to take as many pictures of them as I can and show them to him as he will happily sit through and read them all.
"It just shows that people really do care about these sort of things.
"Especially in a tough time. I think people really have joined together to make the effort for this.”
A message from Tom: "I have very kindly been offered lots of lovely items, such as walkers, chairs and other items. I have everything I need, so instead of giving to me, perhaps you could donate these generous offers to a local care home. Thank you”
— Captain Tom Moore (@captaintommoore) April 22, 2020
James Hodgson, headmaster at Bedford School, told the broadcaster: "It's a wonderful story at a time where frankly everybody needed it”.
"It's also a real reaffirmation of people's kindness and I'm a great believer that people are fundamentally kind and this is just the most wonderful way to show it.”
Volunteers are saving the used stamps from the cards to donate to the RSPB, the school said.
- Yahoo UK
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