Monday 11th May 2020
Captain Tom Moore and his inspiring team
Louise Morse
Why is this important? Military veteran Capt. Tom Moore’s story captured hearts all over the world. For weeks, in an astonishing outpouring of praise we saw Leviticus 19:32 in action, as people in every nation grows up, figuratively, before the grey-haired, older man.
Capt. Tom wanted to raise funds to thank the NHS for treatment he had received and, being a military man, likened staff working with Covid-19 patients to being in a battle. He raised £31 million for all NHS charities by walking 100 loops of his 25 m garden with the aid of a walking frame. He is also raising money from sales of the song, ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, recorded with artist Michael Ball and the NHS Voices of Care Choir, which shot to the no. 1 spot in the UK singles charts.
On his birthday on April 30 the Queen promoted him to the rank of Colonel, and RAF spitfires flew over his house. A full story of Capt Tom’s honours can be read here.
Capt Tom’s story shows what older people can achieve when encouraged and supported. He lives with his family, who have supported him the whole time. Sitting quietly alongside him in the launch picture on social media was his daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore. She described herself as his ‘side-kick’ in a BBC news interview (April 18) adding, ‘we are all speechless… We just working our socks off supporting him and this phenomenon.’
Hopefully, his achievement and the affection in which he is held will help to change the negative, ageist attitudes that many still hold towards older people. (During the crisis, former government scientific advisor Professor Sir David King told The Telegraph that 90-year-olds and older should not go to hospital with C-19, as they would only be ‘clogging it up’.)
His story also speaks to older people, showing them there are possibilities in store they haven’t yet thought of, as Ephesians 2:10 implies. They may not make international headlines, but every ‘good work’ from the biggest to the tiniest, is recorded by God (Luke 21:1-4). In many churches the generations are coming together in special interest groups often initiated by older members. Hopefully, Capt. Tom’s success will encourage church leaders to support them in this.