Captain Tom Moore, whose fundraiser raised more than £28m for the NHS, will receive a Pride Of Britain award.
The WWII veteran, 99, originally from Keighley in West Yorkshire had vowed to walk 100 laps of his garden at home before his 100th birthday on April 30 in honour of the NHS – with his fundraiser becoming the biggest in JustGiving history.
Appearing on Thursday’s Good Morning Britain, show host Carol Vorderman took Captain Tom by surprise as she announced his award, which honours those who have acted bravely or extraordinarily in challenging circumstances.
Accolade: Captain Tom Moore, whose fundraiser raised more than £28m for the NHS, will receive a Pride of Britain award, it was announced Thursday
Inspiration: The WWII veteran, 99, originally from Keighley in West Yorkshire had vowed to walk 100 laps of his garden at home before his 100th birthday on April 30 in honour of the NHS – with his fundraiser becoming the biggest in JustGiving history
Speaking to Tom and his daughter Hannah via video link, Carol said: ‘It might not surprise you we’ve had that many nominations for you to win a Pride of Britain award and before you argue about it, I want to tell you why.
‘Because you’ve influence, all of us in the country, from the very young. I know you live in three generations, and there’s a huge influence you had bringing these three generations together.
‘We’ve given out Pride Of Britain awards to children with tremendous courage, and to many members of our armed services.
You did it! Captain Tom said: ‘I’m very very humbled at receiving magnificent award, thank you very very much. I’m taken aback by this, because I know it’s such a prestigious award that people get.
‘Frankly you Captain Tom embody all of that, your kindness, your modesty you utter determination and your selflessness because you’re raising money, frankly a ridiculous amount of money, you keep saying it’s not for you and it’s for those you regard as heroes.
‘I’ve got something that is for you, this will be your Pride Of Britain award, sent to you with love.
The emotional veteran responded: ‘I can’t be more proud and in a position to receive it from you, you are so very kind and I thank all of the people who nominated me for this award.
Award: Speaking to Tom and his daughter Hannah via video link, Carol said: ‘ It might not surprise you we’ve had that many nominations for you to win a Pride of Britain award and before you argue about it, I want to tell you why’
‘I’m very very humbled at receiving magnificent award, thank you very very much. I’m taken aback by this, because I know it’s such a prestigious award that people get.’
Fans flocked to Twitter to praise Captain Tom in the wake of his accolade, with one writing: ‘Captain Tom Moore. Pride of Britain winner!! Just watching @GMB feeling so choked up now.
‘Already a national hero from WW2, £28 million (in counting) raised for the #NHS, 70k cards for his 100th birthday from everyone he’s inspired – what a true evergreen hero.’
Another wrote: ‘This man… what can you say? Our light during the darkness, our inspiration and what we all should aspire to be. @captaintommoore, we salute you. Our Pride of Britain.’
Carol said: ‘Frankly you Captain Tom embody all of that, your kindness, your modesty you utter determination and your selflessness because you’re raising money’
A third wrote: ‘Captain Tom Moore, you are the Pride of Britain. Official. God bless you Sir.’
Another typed: ‘Captain Tom Moore what an unbelievable man now the recipient of the Pride of Britain award fantastic knighthood surely beckons if you haven’t donated stick your hand in your pocket doesnt matter how much.’
Captain Tom completed his target a fortnight before his milestone birthday and he has vowed to keep on walking laps of his garden in the Bedfordshire Village of Marston Moretaine in order to continue raising money for the fight against coronavirus.
Captain Tom went on to join forces with singer Michael Ball, 57, and the NHS choir to release a charity cover of You’ll Never Walk Alone.
On Sunday, it was revealed that their collaboration with the NHS Voices of Care Choir had stormed to the top of the Official Top 40 music chart.
The charity single is at the top of iTunes and Captain Tom’s campaign to raise funds for the NHS has so far reached more than £28 million on his JustGiving page.
Captain Tom’s daughter Hannah said of her dad’s chart success: ‘Oh my! Can anything else happen to us, do you think?
‘We are working our little socks off as you can imagine, we are fully Team Tom! Thank you for supporting us all and thank you to the British public, we really appreciate it.’
Hannah revealed that her father was overjoyed to have worked with Michael, one of his favourite singers, on the single.
She added: ‘He loves a bit of country and western, he loves a bit of André Rieu, he loves a bit of big band, he loves World War II veteran songs, but he has always loved Michael Ball, so he’s in very good company.’