What is the ‘Captain Tom 100’ challenge?

The campaign has been launched to celebrate what would be the former veteran’s 101st birthday

(Getty Images)

Captain Tom Moore captivated the country in 2020 when he raised over £32 million for the NHS by walking 100 laps around his garden at his home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire before his 100th birthday.

The World War II veteran passed away in hospital on 2 February this year after contracting Covid-19, but his family want people to keep his charitable memory alive with their own “Captain Tom 100” challenges.

Today marks the start of the “Captain Tom 100” challenge, here’s everything you need to know about what it entails.

What is the ‘Captain Tom 100’ challenge?

Championed by The Captain Tom Foundation - a charity set up in his honour to continue his legacy - his family are encouraging people to do their own challenges based around the number 100 to raise money for charity.

People are invited to organise their challenges to take place during the May Bank Holiday weekend, between Friday 30 April (on what would have been Tom’s 101st birthday) and Monday 3 May.

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What can people do?

People of all ages and abilities can participate and suggestions include walking 100 metres, doing 100 keepy-uppies, baking 100 cakes, telling 100 jokes or writing 100 letters. When completing your challenge, you can share your 100 on social media using the hashtag #CaptainTom100.

It is a great opportunity to get creative and fundraise for The Captain Tom Foundation or a charity of your choice.

Captain Tom’s daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore said that although they’re “still a grieving family” they are “propelled forward by hope”.

She said: “I really hope people see this for what it is, which is an absolute chance to bring joy, put money back into charities and support the Captain Tom Foundation, which after all is the legacy of hope that he’s left us behind.”

The family have vowed to continue Sir Tom’s chosen activity of walking laps “right where he left it because we feel it’s the only right thing to do”.

Ingram-Moore said: “We want people to go crazy and create their own 100 – a challenge around the number 100. Because he was 100 and he was so proud to be 100.

“We thought of whether it should be 101 but it’s definitely 100 because that year he lived being 100 was the best year of his life, almost certainly.”