Beckham and Dench help to launch Captain Tom fundraising drive
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[April 30, 2021]
By Ben Makori
LONDON (Reuters) - The family of Britain's
Captain Tom Moore, the World War Two veteran who lifted a nation's
spirits during the pandemic, joined forces with David Beckham and Judi
Dench to kick off a long weekend of fundraising events on Friday.
Moore, who made headlines around the world by raising nearly 40 million
pounds ($56 million) for the National Health Service by walking around
his garden with the help of a frame, died in February.
To mark the impact he had on the country, his family have called on
celebrities and volunteers to come up with a challenge around the number
100 and complete it over the April 30 to May 3 Bank Holiday long
weekend.
Former England captain David Beckham will complete 100 keepy-uppies with
a football, Olympic champion Jess Ennis-Hill aims to complete 100 pogo
jumps, England test cricket captain Joe Root will hit a cricket ball 100
times and the actress Judi Dench plans to eat 100 chocolates.
Moore's daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore joined others at
the Lord's cricket ground in London to launch the event.
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The daughter of Captain Sir Tom Moore, Hannah Ingram-Moore, rings
the bell as Benjie Ingram-Moore, Georgia Ingram-Moore, Colin
Ingram-Moore, and Chief Executive and Secretary of MCC Guy Lavender,
applaud at Lord's cricket ground, in London, Britain, April 30,
2021. REUTERS/Peter Cziborra
"It is just a few months since he died, but this is so powerful
because here we are in his legacy, the lasting legacy of hope he
gave to us and to everybody," she said. "He would have been one
hundred and one today.
"And he thought he would be here and we thought he would be here and
he thought he would come and ring the bell at Lord's."
With his catchphrase "Tomorrow will be a good day", Moore struck a
chord with locked-down Britain and millions around the world. His
death drew condolences from Queen Elizabeth, Prime Minister Boris
Johnson and Joe Biden's White House.
Johnson said on Friday it was brilliant to see the nation take part
in the challenge, which will raise funds for the charity sector.
($1 = 0.7188 pounds)
(Writing by Kate Holton. Editing by Andrew MacAskill)
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