British celebrity centenarian Captain Sir Tom Moore who arrived in Barbados last week to fulfill a ‘bucket list’ dream has given the island’s leadership and frontline workers full marks for effectively managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Captain Tom, as he is known in the UK, received a knighthood on his 100th birthday after raising more than $90 million (£33 million) in charity walks for the UK National Health Service (NHS).
He told Barbados TODAY while relaxing at a private northern villa, that he has been keeping abreast with international developments regarding the pandemic. The Second World War veteran, who saw action in Burma and survived Dengue Fever there, said Barbados must be applauded for its ability to evidently fight the coronavirus without surrender or retreat.
Sir Tom said because Barbados continues to contain the spread of the deadly virus and has been maintaining a successful treatment rate, making it one of the safest countries in the world at this time, he was able to place a tick next to one of the items on his bucket list – visiting here.
“For you to stand on your own is something remarkable for Barbados and I give you full marks and a happy cheer for all of the good that you are doing,” Captain Tom said.
On April 6, the retired army captain veteran started his fundraising effort when he pledged to complete a 1.6 miles, 100-lap garden challenge at his home in the English Midland village of Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, by his 100th birthday, for the sake of the nurses and the National Health Service (NHS). He was inspired after receiving treatment for skin cancer and a broken hip after a fall in 2018. With donors from 162 countries contributing to the cause, the money Captain Moore raised went to comfort and care for NHS workers through the ongoing pandemic, through creating spaces to relax, snacks for staff, and pop-up shops – and earned him a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth on her first public appearance since the pandemic gripped the UK.
Sir Tom’s daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, also commended Barbados for giving the rest of the world an example of how to effectively tackle the pandemic. Ingram-Moore said from the time she, her husband Colin Ingram, and their children, Georgia and Benjie, arrived here with their patriarch, they observed the strict COVID-19 protocols in action.
She told Barbados TODAY: “Of course we were tested before we left. We were tested a day after we landed, then the health ministry came around and checked that we had been tested and they checked on the person who tested us and they checked on our results. And we think that that in itself is a brilliant way to control the disease. So we think you are doing amazingly, it has allowed us to travel here.”
Ingram-Moore also indicated that because of her father’s tender age which places him at high risk for a severe case of COVID-19, the family would not have taken the risk to fly to Barbados if they were not convinced that it was safe for him to do so.
“We did because of what you have done,” Ingram-Moore said.
(anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb)
