
Today sees the 100th Birthday of Captain, now Honourary Colonel, Tom Moore who has caught the imagination of not just the nation, but the whole world. A relatively frail, humble chap, Tom would probably be the first to downplay his amazing achievement and I’m not referring to the mind boggling amount of money he has raised for charity, but his stoic determination to keep walking every single day! Tom’s generation don’t give up because the going gets tough, they get going, and that’s exactly what he has done. He wasn’t expecting the fame, adoration or recognition his actions have attracted, nor the very well deserved awards he has received. He did what he did because he is a fighter, unwilling to be beaten by this horrific virus, showing courage, commitment and true British spirit. We must all remember that Tom has been here before, seeing death and destruction on an unimaginable scale, his medals are testament to that. I am sure a lot of today’s tributes will bring a tear to Tom’s eye but I believe he richly deserves every compliment that he will undoubtedly be paid. We owe him one last thing and that is to recognise these latter day achievements are just a small part of his story; our thanks go much further and celebrate a long life well lived. I am sure that Tom would be particularly proud if, through his actions, we come out of this terrible trauma as a more tolerant, inclusive and open society that showed care and compassion for one another. This is perhaps the greatest gift we could give to this old soldier because that is what is truly great about Britain. Colonel Tom, you are my hero and I salute you. Happy Birthday
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