Primary school children in the Isle of Man will be able to read about the inspirational story of Captain Sir Tom Moore after the Chief Minister gifts a book to each school.
During the pandemic the Army veteran raised almost £33m for NHS charities by walking 100 laps of his Bedfordshire garden before he turned 100.
The beautifully illustrated book ‘One Hundred Steps - The Story of Captain Tom Moore’ - tells the story of how one man’s resilience inspired the world.
Nine-year-old Ballacottier pupil Dylan Walton, who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, took on a series of challenges after being inspired by the heroics of Captain Tom and Tobias Weller. This included climbing to the summit of the Island’s tallest peak and has seen him raise over £28,000 for charity.
Chief Minister, Howard Quayle MHK said:
'Captain Tom and Dylan have made such an enormous difference in a year that has been difficult for many, and I hoped this book will act as a record of what we have faced, and a reminder that even in the most challenging of times we can still achieve great things.
'I am proud of the way our community and schools have responded to the pandemic, and would like to thank all of our teachers and staff, parents and pupils, for helping us to get where we are today.
'With the difficulties of the past year in mind, we wanted to make this uplifting gift in a positive way with our Biosphere pledge in mind - supporting the local economy and sourcing the books locally and organising delivery by hand using a network of parents and staff to ensure the environmental impact is kept to a minimum.'
Dylan, who has also been gifted a copy of the book to recognise his achievements, said:
'Sir Tom was a great man and I can’t wait to read all about his life.'
The book shares tales from his childhood in Yorkshire and army days, through to his incredible fund-raising campaign at the age of 99. Further copies will also be offered to the children’s ward of Nobles Hospital, Rebecca House and the Family Library.
