Captain Sir Tom Moore: Trees to be planted in honour of NHS fundraiser

Capt Sir Tom Moore won the nation's hearts with his fundraising walk where he completed 100 laps of his garden in his village in Bedfordshire

The family of Captain Sir Tom Moore have called for trees to be planted around the world in his honour.

The 100-year-old Army veteran, who raised almost £33m for NHS charities by walking laps of his garden in Marston Moretaine, died on 2 February.

Through the Trees for Tom campaign, a "legacy forest" will be planted by two charities on behalf of his family.

His daughter, Lucy Teixeira, said it could create a "living legacy".

Mrs Teixeira and her sister, Hannah Ingram-Moore, said many people had asked what they could do to honour him, "other than cards and cut flowers" and this gave them the idea of donating to charities to plant trees in his name.

They have chosen the UK's largest woodland conservation charity, The Woodland Trust, to carry out the work in this country and TreeSisters to plant trees internationally.

Capt Sir Tom's daughters Lucy Teixeira (left) and Hannah Ingram-Moore (right) are asking people to plant trees in his name

She said both environmental charities had many initiatives planned, but she hoped a wood in her father's native Yorkshire could be grown and that they could help reforest a part of India, a place close to his heart.

"Like every grandparent, he was concerned about what the future holds for his four grandchildren and the negative impact we are having on our planet," she said.

"Planting a tree is a small but significant gesture that can collectively make a big difference and create a lasting, living legacy."I can't think of anything better and I know Dad would be delighted that his hope for a brighter tomorrow was being honoured in this way."

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Woodland Trust chief executive, Darren Moorcroft, said it was a "fitting way to celebrate the life of someone as inspirational as Captain Sir Tom".

Clare Dubois, founder of TreeSisters, said restoring tropical forests would serve "all of life on Earth".

"Restoring these forests together is a way of taking care of everyone," she said.

The World War Two veteran, who served in India and Myanmar - also known as Burma - was originally from Keighley near Bradford.

He died at Bedford Hospital after testing positive for Covid-19 and his funeral will be held on Saturday.

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