England Golf has given its full backing to the upcoming ‘Captain Tom 100’ event and is encouraging golfers and golf clubs across the UK to join in a celebratory weekend of fun and charity fundraising over the May Bank Holiday weekend (April 30 – May 3).
Captain Sir Tom Moore captured the hearts of the nation in 2020 when he walked 100 laps of his garden and raised £38.9 million for NHS charities on the occasion of his 100th birthday.
Although Captain Tom sadly passed away in February, his spirit of positivity lives on through The Captain Tom Foundation.
Now, on what would have been the weekend of his 101st birthday, the Captain Tom 100 event aims to encapsulate all that he stood for – generosity of spirit, hope and joy and a sense of fun.
Anyone and everyone can join in by staging a challenge around the number 100 and raising money or donating to either The Captain Tom Foundation or a charity of choice. In golfing terms, it could be holing 100 putts, trying to reach 100 keepy-uppies or chipping 100 balls into a basket.
Hannah Ingram-Moore, Captain’s Tom’s daughter, explained: “My father became a beacon of hope around the world. The Captain Tom 100 is inspired by his desire and life’s task of inclusivity. He believed inclusivity was everything and believed powerfully in equality. When we looked at celebrating his birthday it had to be about the number 100 because the most incredible things happened to him in the year he was 100.
“It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are or matter if you feel restricted. This is 100 anythings! Pick up the number 100 and do something amazing with it. It doesn’t matter what it is – large, small or in between. Of course, I’ve already challenged my family of golfers to come up with their 100. Let’s see when everyone starts posting their 100 – I can’t wait.”
Supporters are being urged to publicise their ‘100’ idea on social media ahead of the weekend using #CaptainTom100.
England Golf is promoting the fundraising initiative after many golf club nominated charities suffered a downturn in revenue in a year of pandemic.
“Captain Tom was a quite amazing man and such an inspirational figure to us all,” said Jeremy Tomlinson, chief executive of England Golf. “He lifted the spirit of the nation at a tough time in our history and his charitable efforts were simply wonderful. But he also exuded a sense of pride, a sense of fun and enjoyment in everything he did, and we remember him for these qualities as much as anything.
“For that reason, England Golf is thrilled to be able to support The Captain Tom Foundation and spread news of this event to our community of golfers around England. Charities were badly hit during the pandemic year and many golf clubs and captains were unable to support deserving causes in the way they would have liked due to lockdown restrictions and the disruption to normal fundraising activities.
“I’m excited to see how creative our clubs and golfers can be when coming up with their own version of the Captain Tom 100. I look forward to what promises to be an amazing weekend celebrating Captain Tom’s achievements and carrying on the charitable work he started.”
To find out more, visit www.captaintom100.com