British war veteran, 99, raises $23m by walking 100 laps of his garden
LONDON : British war veteran Tom Moore, 99, completed 100 laps of his garden yesterday, raising more than £13 million (S$23 million) for the health service in an endeavour that has spread joy across the country amid the coronavirus gloom.
"For all those people who are finding it difficult at the moment: the sun will shine on you again and the clouds will go away," said Mr Moore, dressed in a blazer and tie and displaying his war medals, after his walk.
The retired army captain, who uses a walking frame with wheels, set himself the target of walking the 25m around his garden 100 times before his 100th birthday on April 30.
He completed the walk to global praise.
Raised in Yorkshire, northern England, Mr Moore served inIndia, Sumatra and elsewhere during World War II.
He said he had been inspired by the care he received from Britain's state-run health service when he broke his hip and when he was treated for cancer.
His original target was £1,000.
Mr Moore said: "It's unbelievable that people would be so kind to give that sort of money to the National Health Service."
He received a guard of honour from soldiers from the First Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment, the successor to his Duke of Wellington's regiment, on his final lap. - REUTERS
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