NHS charities thank Captain Tom for raising more than £30m

Frontline health staff have sent their thanks and birthday wishes to Captain Tom Moore for raising more than £30 million for NHS charities.

The Second World War veteran initially set out to raise £1,000 for NHS Charities Together by walking 100 laps around his garden before he turned 100 on April 30.

However, after attracting large support from the public, he quickly passed that target and continued his efforts, reaching £30 million on the morning of his birthday.

NHS Charities Together, the umbrella organisation that unites the more than 230 NHS charities across the UK, expressed its gratitude.

NHS staff and volunteers from hospitals across the country shared videos of them singing Happy Birthday to him.

Chief executive of NHS Charities Together Ellie Orton said: “Captain Tom’s incredible dedication to our appeal has captured the hearts and minds of the UK, and rightly so – what he has achieved will make a lasting difference.

“The funds he’s managed to raise will not only help frontline NHS staff and volunteers and their patients immediately, but it will also be used to support them as we deal with the repercussions of the pandemic.

“We cannot thank him enough for all that he’s achieved and we wish him a very happy birthday, and look forward to continuing to ensure that what he’s done is used to improve the lives of the NHS staff and volunteers that are giving so much to their communities at the moment.”

A significant portion of the money has already been distributed, with the first £20 million expected to have been given out by the umbrella group by the end of the week.

It has been spent on a wide range of services amid the coronavirus pandemic, including well-being support for staff and volunteers, as well as providing meals.

Funds have also been used to buy kettles, fridges and microwaves to meet the demands of increased numbers of staff working longer shifts.

St George’s Hospital in south London has installed pods where nurses and doctors can take a nap during long shifts.

Other money is being used to pay for accommodation and essentials for NHS workers who have to stay away from their family homes.

Patients and other groups outside hospitals will also benefit from the money raised by Captain Tom, with some hospitals purchasing iPads to allow Covid-19 patients to remain connected with loved ones.

Hospices, community care and social care institutions will also benefit to help patients when they leave hospital.

The money will also fund programmes to help staff recover after the pandemic.

Captain Tom’s fundraiser will close on Thursday evening after nearly 1.5 million people donated.

JustGiving, the online platform used to collect donations, removed a 5% platform fee on charities receiving funds in March.

It maintains a standard card processing fee of 1.9% plus 20p per donation, similar to other fundraising platforms.