In Memory Of Captain Sir Tom Moore

We are devastated by the news Captain Sir Tom Moore has passed away. He directly raised £33million for NHS charities and helped so many Trusts, including our own. Our hearts go out to his family and friends. You will be forever in our hearts.

Our Charity Director, Tim Diggle, has paid tribute to the remarkable man, “Like many others, I first saw Captain Tom when the BBC filmed him walking round his garden to raise funds for the NHS last March. He had set a target of £1,000, but what happened then astonished us all. As news of his efforts went around the world the money raised grew and grew at an astounding rate. In the end he raised £33 million for NHS Charities Together, which inspired thousands of other fundraisers to do the same. The end result was the  biggest fundraising appeal ever- raising £150 million to support the work of the NHS through its 241 charities. These funds have been supporting NHS staff and patients throughout the pandemic, providing refreshments for staff, counselling support, safe spaces (wobble rooms) to allow staff to take a break from the long hours at work, arts therapy for staff and patients, radios, iPads and tablets to allow patients to keep in touch with the outside world, and with family who cannot visit.

But Captain Tom did more than that; because of his age and his wartime experiences, he was able to see the current pandemic in a different perspective to those of us who are younger. He could remember a time before the NHS when if you were ill, you had to pay for treatment. For his generation, the NHS was a complete transformation. He was also able to reassure. During the tough days of the first wave of the pandemic his father-like reassurance –  “tomorrow will be a good day” – was what we needed to hear.

We will miss him, and all the others we have lost. Thank you, Captain Sir Tom, for your support when we needed it most.”