A national ‘clap for Captain Tom’ will take place tonight - when and how to get involved

A national ‘clap for Captain Tom’ will take place tonight - when and how to get involved (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)A national ‘clap for Captain Tom’ will take place tonight - when and how to get involved (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
A national ‘clap for Captain Tom’ will take place tonight - when and how to get involved (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that a nationwide clap Captain Sir Tom Moore and healthcare workers will take place tonight (3 Feb).

The Second World War veteran, who raised over £30 million for the NHS during lockdown, died on Tuesday (2 Feb) at the age of 100, after contracting Covid-19.

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To honour his memory, as well as the lives of all victims of the pandemic, a minute's silence took place in the House of Commons before Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions.

The Prime Minister said Captain Sir Tom’s was a "life well lived" and that he "inspired the very best in us all".

"We now all have the opportunity to show our appreciation for him," Johnson added.

Speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, said Captain Sir Tom "exemplified the best of our values" and also praised his fundraising activities.

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The 100 year old’s fundraising efforts raised more than £32 million for the NHS, after he walked 100 laps of his garden during the first national lockdown. His original aim was to raise £1,000, but the challenge struck a chord with members of the public, and he ended up receiving donations from 1.5 million supporters.

In acknowledgement of his efforts, Captain Sir Tom was knighted by the Queen during a one-off open-air ceremony at Windsor Castle in summer 2020.

How to take part in the national clap

Prime Minister Johnson has encouraged the nation to join in with a national clap for Captain Sir Tom and health workers at 6pm tonight.

This can be done from the doorstep of your home, or - if you are self-isolating - from a window.