Captain Tom Moore is to be knighted by The Queen after he raised more than £32m for the NHS last month.
The World War II veteran set himself the target of walking 100 laps of his back garden before he turned 100 years old at the end of the month, with an initial modest target of raising £1,000 to help frontline workers battling the coronavirus pandemic.
Moore quickly passed that aim as news of his efforts heartened the nation, and by the time the appeal ended the total had rocketed to over £32m.
Prime minister Boris Johnson recommended Moore for the honour and in a statement said that the centenarian had "provided us all with a beacon of light through the fog of coronavirus".
"On behalf of everyone who has been moved by his incredible story, I want to say a huge thank you," he added. "He's a true national treasure."
Moore, who only found out about his knighthood yesterday, said: "Never for one moment could I have imagined to be awarded with such a great honour.
"I'd like to thank Her Majesty the Queen, the Prime Minister and the Great British public. I will remain at your service.
"This started as something small and I've been overwhelmed by the gratitude and love from the British public and beyond."
Moore is expected to be the first of many to be honoured this year for their contributions during the coronavirus crisis.
Neil Wilkes
Follow us on Bluesky or on X/Twitter and like us on Facebook for the latest entertainment news alerts.
Media Mole's Lowest Ever Sky Offer: Get Sky Essential, Sky Stream & Netflix for just £15 a month + £0 upfront fee for 24 months!
Prices may change during this period. Ends March 19, 2025
