Northern Ireland

Southern Health Trust receives £109,000 from Captain Tom's fundraising

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust has been awarded £109,000 from the more than £32 million raised during the lock-down by Captain Tom, who completed 100 laps of his garden. Picture by Joe Giddens/PA Wire
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust has been awarded £109,000 from the more than £32 million raised during the lock-down by Captain Tom, who completed 100 laps of his garden. Picture by Joe Giddens/PA Wire The Southern Health and Social Care Trust has been awarded £109,000 from the more than £32 million raised during the lock-down by Captain Tom, who completed 100 laps of his garden. Picture by Joe Giddens/PA Wire

THE Southern Health and Social Care Trust has received more than £100,000 from funds raised by Captain Tom Moore.

The 100-year-old former British army officer raised more than £32 million for NHS charities during the lockdown by completing 100 laps of his garden in April.

The southern trust yesterday revealed that it had received £109,000 of the funds raised.

A spokesman said: "The conditions of this grant so far are that these monies are spent on enhancing the well-being of NHS Staff, volunteers and patients impacted by Covid-19, as part of our trust’s Covid-19 response.

"The trust is considering how this money is to be spent across its services in line with the purposes of the grant," he said.

SDLP assembly member Sinead Bradley welcomed the allocation of funds.

"During a very difficult and worrying time Captain Tom, unexpectedly, became the face of something very positive that was happening in communities across Ireland and the UK," she said.

"Many people went beyond merely conforming with the restrictions, they found safe and creative ways to make a positive contribution.

"Across South Down, schools, businesses and individuals have been making visors and masks, donations of PPE are being shared with those on the front line and beautiful acts of encouragement through clapping and the displaying of colourful rainbows are plentiful.

"Unique fundraisers for the NHS, the Southern Area Hospice, Life and Time, and other critical charitable organisations continue to flourish during a financially challenging time."

She added: "I commend and thank Captain Tom for his heart warming efforts that raised such a staggering sum and I thank all the people across South Down who mirrored that same generosity of spirit throughout Covid-19.

"Witnessing such wholesome qualities at work make living through this strange situation more endurable".