Captain Tom Moore's birthday cards

[LivingOnAnIsland]

What do you think of the thousands of cards he has received? I think it's a lovely gesture, but the money spent on cards could possibly have been donated to charity, as well as the amount spent on postage, and the posties must have worked their socks off to deliver them. Don't want to be a grump, as I think Captain Tom has done a grand job, but what will he do with all those cards - apart from recycle them?

@Genderwitched

I agree with that post, absolutely. There's been so much misery and death, so it's no wonder that so many people have latched on to Tom Moore, as an inspiration. Because we all need some good news stories at the end of the day!

I bought and sent a card. I never even thought he would open it himself.
The address was all over social media, hard to miss in fact.
Somehow I've managed to not think he is a saviour of the NHS or put him on some pedestal. I simply thought if I make it to 100 years old, I would love a truckload of cards.

Yes he is only one of millions that fought in the war, but he's one of the few surviving. We still remember the dead, every year, Nov 11th. So we're not disrespecting anyone else by celebrating his birthday. And if he makes it to 101 I'll send another card.

Most of them are dead, we remember them on Rememberance Day. Most of his generation are dead for heaven's sake.

Most of his generation died of natural causes relatively recently tbf. WWII was terrible, but it didn't wipe out 'most' of a generation of UK men.

I think Tom Moore is a lovely guy, who was doing a really nice thing for a good cause. But the hangers on and the political and media circus surrounding it is something else entirely.

It gave us a good laugh watching the lunchtime news. The cards are all laid out in the Great Hall at Bedford School - expensive independent school with amazing facilities - extensive sports grounds, fantastic theatre, planetarium. Located in the middle of Bedford. The BBC described it as "the village school". I bet the parents of Marston Moretaine wish it was🤣

Can you even imagine the postie delivering that many cards to you at once, how overwhelming that would be? Now imagine being very elderly and that happening, poor bloke probably has no idea what to do with them all. I’d be raging tbh, think of the clutter!

I think some people drink a pint of bile in the morning. I tried to be cynical about Captain Tom today but I was too busy weeping during his flypast.
As for the person who suggested he was a shady character. Words fail me.

I've just looked up Bedford School. Bloody hell! The fees start at over £4,000 per term for year 3 day pupils and get more expensive for older pupils and boarders. Definitely not the local village school. Although, you could have guessed that the grandchildren probably didn't go to the local school, just from the bits of his house and garden that get shown on tv.

I was distracted by noticing how lovely the garden is. His house or his daughters? She seemed wonderful - looked rather young to have a 100 year old father?

Massive waste of paper and stamps.

Can you even imagine the postie delivering that many cards to you at once, how overwhelming that would be? Now imagine being very elderly and that happening, poor bloke probably has no idea what to do with them all. I’d be raging tbh, think of the clutter!

You don't actually think they went to his house do you? Really?

I think he's probably feeling a bit pleased with himself now - getting to be a colonel and a number 1 popstar and 100 years old.

I don't begrudge him that. It's better than wasting away in his armchair!!

I wouldn't call him a hero especially for his war service - my grandad fought in Burma too and won decorations too but he got dementia and died at 89 (still old). He got promoted to sergeant then demoted for fighting.
Lots of men fought in Burma, it was after VE Day, they felt they were the forgotten soldiers.

So if his charity efforts do highlight the men who fought in Burma I will be happy.

I don't feel that the NHS should rely on charity though.
Not when billions are still being spent now on the totally unnecessary HS2 and Trident.

Had to share this meme though.

It's not for the NHS though, it was the NHS charity. There's a big difference.

And I don't know how you can be promoted when you have left the organisation that you were ranked in. Surely if you're a Captain when you retire, you're never going to achieve a higher rank? Because you've left? I don't understand that.

I didn't do a birthday card for him, I thought it a bit unnecessary and felt it extremely unlikely he would actually see them all. We did donate to his fund though, nothing wrong with that, happy to help a charity.

I do feel that it's all been blown out of proportion, but he's a lovely old fella, and it's a bright spot of the pandemic - nice to have some positives to look back on.