Sutton Coldfield 98-year-old raises £6k after being inspired by Sir Captain Tom
A 98-year-old great-grandfather, who served in the Second World War, has raised nearly £6,000 as he aims to emulate Captain Sir Tom Moore and raise money for charity by walking laps of his garden.
Harold Jones, from Sutton Coldfield, started taking daily walks to get exercise in the initial Covid lockdown, and has now raised thousands for Motor Neurone Disease.
So far, Harold has completed the short minute-long course around his garden more than 19,400 times, amounting to over 300 miles – more than the equivalent of walking to Land’s End.
He completes the laps aided by his late wife’s mobility apparatus, having broken his back in three places in a fall in 2016.
Having begun with just two laps, Mr Jones said he had increased the number to complete 40 a day.
Now the town’s longest established financial experts, Jordan Financial Management, are backing his efforts to raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, by donating £500 – and are urging other businesses to support him too.
Founder Mike Jordan said: “Harold has been a client of ours for many years and we have been inspired by his daily walks, which is why we have made a donation to his appeal.
“We would urge other businesses to do the same and support our own Captain Sir Tom Moore!”
Mr Jones said he had been inspired by Captain Sir Tom to use his daily exercise to help a good cause.
“To see him walking like that, doing it for the NHS, it was quite inspiring,” Mr Jones said. “To be doing it at his age and there was nothing boastful about him,He was such a gentle fellow.”
Captain Sir Tom, who died in February at the age of 100, raised almost £33 million for NHS charities by walking laps of his garden during lockdown.
Like Captain Sir Tom, Mr Jones served in the Army during the Second World War in India and Burma. He reached the rank of Lance Corporal. To donate to Harold’s appeal, visit https://bit.ly/3E1Byp5
