The $35.6 Millions Dollar Walk

On April 6, Captain Tom Moore began a modest fund raising project. His goal was to raise £1,000 ($1,237) for Britain's National Health Service (NHS) care workers by then deeply involved in supporting Covid-19 patients. Captain Moore intended to raise the money by walking 100 laps around his garden. The walking path was all of 25 meter long and he planned to walk 10 laps per day. Doesn't seem to be that much of a challenge. Unless you're 99 years old and need the aid of a walker to get around.

Captain Moore's used his newly acquired Twitter skills, the global charity website JustGiving and media contacts to get the word out and the donations started. By April 10, the original £1,000 goal was achieved, so the target was raised to £5,000. After raising the goal to £500,000, it became apparent that goals were unnecessary. By April 16, Captain Moore had raised £28.8 million ($35.6 million). The money will be distributed to local charities to support NHS staff, Covid-19 patients and their families.

Donations since the pandemic started have been used to help set up wellbeing spaces in hospitals. These include sleep pods, reclining chairs and so-called "wobble rooms" - areas where staff have a safe space to release emotions after a traumatic experience, such as losing a patient.

Wellbeing packs including everyday items such as porridge, tea or hand cream have also been given to staff, which one charity member said was "like a hug in a box".

The money has also helped pay for electronic tablets that allow patients who are in isolation in hospital to have contact with their friends and family.

In the long term, the funds will be used in planning to allow people to leave hospital quicker and safely, and also provide mental health support for staff and volunteers involved in dealing with the pandemic.

But, Captain Moore wasn't done fund raising.  With a little help from his friends, he has gone on the record a musical single cover of the classic You'll Never Walk Alone that became Britain's fastest selling single of 2020.  Proceeds from the recording will add to Captain Moore's fund raising total.

The charity single, released to raise money for the NHS, racked up combined chart sales of 82,000 units – the fastest-selling single of 2020 – pipping the Weeknd’s Blinding Lights to No 2 with 69,000.

You’ll Never Walk Alone (Download here) will occupy its chart position at least for the next seven days, meaning that Moore will become the first centenarian to have a UK No 1. The second-oldest UK No 1 holder is Tom Jones, who was 68 years and nine months old when (Barry) Islands in the Stream reached the top in 2009. The success of You’ll Never Walk Alone makes Ball, at 57 years and nine months, the seventh-oldest musician to claim a No 1.

 Kind of a hard act to follow.