Happy Birthday, Honorary Colonel Tom Moore
I mentioned Captain Tom Moore and his fund-raising pre-100th-birthday exploits last week. To date he has raised £30,000,000 for NHS Charities Together. (His Just Giving page is open til midnight tonight. People can still donate to the NHS Charities Together urgent appeal site.)
Today he achieved his 100th birthday - which is no small thing even in these far healthier days. Not least for men of his generation, most of whom were called up to fight during WWII (1939-45).
In addition to cake baked by his daughter he has so far received:-
The (Honorary) Colonel's reaction to all this?
"Reaching 100 is quite something. Reaching 100 with such interest in me and huge generosity from the public is very overwhelming," he said.
"People keep saying what I have done is remarkable, however it's actually what you have done for me which is remarkable.
"Please always remember, tomorrow will be a good day."
There's more, check out the links (if you haven't already.)
So there we are. Hang in there. Keep on keeping on. Stay safe*. Stay at home (unless you HAVE to go out - food, medicine, exercise, you're a Key Worker - clapping you tonight, folks.) Keep washing your hands. This, too, shall pass.
Remember, tomorrow** will be a good day.
*Don't be a Covidiot! Please! You could end up killing someone!
**Even if 'tomorrow' comes in anything up to six years' time - as it did for those involved in WWII
Today he achieved his 100th birthday - which is no small thing even in these far healthier days. Not least for men of his generation, most of whom were called up to fight during WWII (1939-45).
In addition to cake baked by his daughter he has so far received:-
- a personalised card from the Queen. All UK centenarians get special birthday cards from the Queen, provided their families (or someone) gives the Palace sufficient notice. (Her Maj probably won't personalise them.)
- an RAF fly-past by two Spitfire aircraft
- promotion to Honorary Colonel of The Yorkshire Regiment, 'his' regiment when he was an active soldier
- an estimated 140,000 birthday cards from well-wishers, many of which have
- a special Royal Mail postmark (available til tomorrow, Friday)
- personal video birthday greetings from Prime Minister (& new Dad) Boris Johnson
- a specially decorated postbox near his home
- honorary membership of the England cricket team
- TWO railway engines named after him - a 129-tonne Class 66 freight loco for GB Railfreight and a GWR Intercity express train, 800025, which goes into service today (here's hoping it keeps better time than some GWR trains!)
- not to mention a Chart Topping Duet of You'll Never Walk Alone with Michael Ball (last week)
The (Honorary) Colonel's reaction to all this?
"Reaching 100 is quite something. Reaching 100 with such interest in me and huge generosity from the public is very overwhelming," he said.
"People keep saying what I have done is remarkable, however it's actually what you have done for me which is remarkable.
"Please always remember, tomorrow will be a good day."
There's more, check out the links (if you haven't already.)
So there we are. Hang in there. Keep on keeping on. Stay safe*. Stay at home (unless you HAVE to go out - food, medicine, exercise, you're a Key Worker - clapping you tonight, folks.) Keep washing your hands. This, too, shall pass.
Remember, tomorrow** will be a good day.
*Don't be a Covidiot! Please! You could end up killing someone!
**Even if 'tomorrow' comes in anything up to six years' time - as it did for those involved in WWII