Capt Sir Tom Moore: Campaign to plant trees for NHS fundraiser raises £100k

Captain Sir Tom Moore raised almost £33m for charities supporting the NHS

A scheme to plant trees around the world in honour of Captain Sir Tom Moore has raised more than £100,000.

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

The Trees for Tom campaign will see a "legacy forest" planted in his honour.

Capt Sir Tom's eldest daughter Lucy Teixeira, 52, said: "He would be delighted to know that so many trees will now be planted in his name."

The campaign was started after people asked how they could honour Capt Sir Tom's memory.

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

Two environmental charities, the Woodland Trust in the UK and TreeSisters internationally, have been selected to carry out the scheme.

It is hoped 50,000 trees can be planted across the tropics, along with the creation of a memorial woodland in Yorkshire.

Mrs Teixeira said: "After my father had passed away, I was asked by my friends and colleagues how they could honour his memory, and I said 'please plant trees'.

"I know he would be delighted to know that so many trees will now be planted in his name."

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Cali White, the head of partnerships for TreeSisters, said: "It's wonderful to think that his spirit will be carried across the world in 50,000 trees planted across Brazil, Kenya, Mozambique, Cameroon, Madagascar, Nepal, India, West Papua and Borneo.

"[They are] trees which not only play a vital role in our fight against climate change but will also provide habitat for endangered species and long-term employment for local people, especially women."

At his funeral last week, six Yorkshire Regiment members carried the Army veteran's coffin, draped in the union jack, and an honour guard fired three volleys.

After the military honours, which included a flypast from a World War Two-era plane, his family followed the coffin into the crematorium for the private service.

The total raised by Capt Sir Tom's efforts, after Gift Aid, reached £39m.

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