99-year-old Captain Tom Moore (UK) has achieved the record title for the most money raised by charity walk (individual), raising a staggering total of £27,699,581 on JustGiving as of 21 April 2020.
His total is now over £28 million and the figure continues to rise.
Tom, aged 99 and a WWII veteran from Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, had originally aimed to raise £1,000 for NHS Charities Together.
His aim was to complete 100 laps of his garden just before his 100th birthday; a challenge he completed on Thursday 16 April.
However, his fundraising efforts very quickly surpassed his original goal after he raised £1,000 in a mere 24 hours.
After that, as the donations continued to pour in, his target kept rising to the incredible sum it is today.
After breaking a record that has stood for 40 years, Captain Tom Moore has earned himself a spot in the coveted Guinness World Records book, as well as featuring on the front cover of Guinness World Records 2021!
The previous record for the most money raised by a charity walk (individual) was Can$14.7 million (the equivalent of £5.4 million at the time and £27,201,900 today, adjusted for inflation).
This was raised by Terry Fox (1958-81) of Canada, who, with a prosthetic leg, ran from St John's, Newfoundland to Thunder Bay, Ontario in 143 days in 1980.
Not only has Tom broken this long standing record, but today (24 April 2020) Tom and Michael Ball (UK) officially topped the UK charts with their single You'll Never Walk Alone.
This also makes Tom the oldest person to reach number one in the UK charts at 99 years and 359 days old.
What an honour it’s been. @captaintommoore you are an inspiration. We also couldn’t have done this without the amazing NHS Voices for Care Choir. You can download the single now - 100% of the proceeds will go to Tom’s walk fund. Let’s get him a No.1 for his 100th birthday! pic.twitter.com/bUWPK0G35T
— Michael Ball OBE (@mrmichaelball) April 18, 2020
This record was previously held by Sir Tom Jones (UK) who was 68 years 9 months old when he sang on “Barry Islands in the Stream” with Vanessa Jenkins (aka actress Ruth Jones), Bryn West (aka actor Rob Brydon) and Robin Gibb (all UK).
Also a charity single, the track topped the UK chart on 21 March 2009.
“I feel very honoured to receive recognition from Guinness World Records. My charity walk has raised more money than I could have possibly imagined and I am so thankful to those who have donated money and bought the single so we could achieve these records together and raise money for our incredible NHS during these difficult times. These really are Guinness World Records titles for all of us.”- Captain Tom Moore
"Tom's remarkable efforts prove that age should never be a barrier to making a difference, to inspiring the nation or to breaking world records," said Craig Glenday, Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief.
"The fact that this indomitable 99-year-old has achieved both of these things makes him truly a national hero that rightly deserves his place in the history books. We're proud to be able to welcome him into the Guinness World Records family."
Captain Tom Moore will turn 100 years old on April 30th 2020.
Header image credit: Left, Shutterstock / Right, Emma Sohl - Capture The Light Photography
You can visit Captain Tom Moore's JustGiving page here
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