Captain Tom trees initiative reaches £100k milestone in a week

Trees for Tom, a tree-planting initiative set up by Captain Sir Tom Moore’s family in his honour, has raised more than £100,000 in less than a week.

Sir Tom’s family selected two environmental charities to grow his “legacy forest” on their behalf – the Woodland Trust in the UK, and TreeSisters internationally.

The money donated means that plans for 50,000 trees across the tropics and the creation of a memorial woodland in Yorkshire are closer than ever.

Sir Tom’s eldest daughter Lucy Teixeira, 52, said: “I know he would be delighted to know that so many trees will now be planted in his name.

“I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to each and every one who generously contributed.

“I have been contributing to TreeSisters for over a year and know how important reforestation is to our future.”

Cali White, the head of partnerships for TreeSisters, said: “It’s wonderful to think that his spirit will be carried across the world in 50,000 trees planted across Brazil, Kenya, Mozambique, Cameroon, Madagascar, Nepal, India, West Papua and Borneo; trees which not only play a vital role in our fight against climate change but will also provide habitat for endangered species and long-term employment for local people, especially women.”

Second World War veteran Sir Tom captured the hearts of the nation with his fundraising efforts during the first coronavirus lockdown, when he walked 100 laps of his Bedfordshire garden before his 100th birthday, raising more than £32 million for the NHS.

He died at Bedford Hospital on February 2 after testing positive for Covid-19.

Mrs Teixeira said: “Our father’s funeral on Saturday was an occasion now firmly etched in our memories as we honoured his life and all he achieved.

“The British Army gave him a spectacular send-off, and I know he would have had a tear in his eye if he had been watching. “After my father had passed away, I was asked by my friends and colleagues how they could honour his memory, and I said ‘please plant trees’.”