When 99-year old Captain Tom Moore began walking laps in his garden to raise money for NHS Charities, his goal was to walk 100 laps and raise £1,000. Since he began walking on April 8, he has far surpassed his goal and raised over £18 million.
Moore walks 10 laps a day in the 25-meter long space of his backyard. His goal is to hit 100 laps before his 100th birthday at the end of the month. His fundraiser raised £70,000 in its first 24 hours and, as word spread about his endeavor, nearly a million people from all over the world contributed to his Just Giving page.
NHS Charities is funding COVID-19 treatment and support in the UK including providing supplies to essential workers on the frontline and donating devices to patients in isolation so they can communicate with their families. Moore says the charity is personally impactful because of their COVID-19 work and because his own wife was treated for a long term illness before she passed away in 2006.
Moore’s cause continues to gain fame in the UK and beyond. He recorded a charity single with Michael Ball — a cover of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and followers can stay up to date with his journey via a Twitter page that posts updates and videos.
The money he has raised is not only an enormous contribution to impacted healthcare systems, but it is also a powerful example of determination and what can be achieved through collective action.
