By Graeme Hanna • Published: 13 Oct 2023 • 20:30
Captain Sir Tom Moore. Credit: Sky News.
The family of Captain Sir Tom Moore have detailed how they have received death threats and hate mail, in a backlash over proceeds from Sir Tom’s books.
His daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, told TalkTV’s Piers Morgan Uncensored that they had received hate mail in the post with further sinister threats being posted on the internet, as reported by the BBC.
“They were all discussing how they were going to come and kill us all in our beds.”
Since it emerged that the family did profit from Sir Tom’s legacy, the reaction has been frosty to say the least, whilst a typical grilling from TV personality Morgan was always going to cast a further shadow on their choices.
The late Second World War veteran won the hearts of the nation during the Covid-19 pandemic when aged 99, he began a fundraising drive for NHS charities by completing 25-metre lengths of his garden.
An initial modest £1000 target was smashed in no time which led to increased aims. As his efforts gained media publicity and public adulation, the whole campaign went viral.
By the time of his 100th birthday, he had raised an incredible £30 million.
The charity that was inspired by him and set up to honour his endeavours, The Captain Tom Foundation, is no longer taking donations and is currently the centre of a probe by The Charity Commission.
Ms Ingram-Moore has insisted that her family hasn’t been motivated by their own desires.
“We’ve tried our best to do the right thing and sometimes it’s turned out it wasn’t, but not through intent.”
“It never occurred to us that anyone could hate a 100-year-old man walking up and down to support the NHS and the family behind, doing everything they could to support him,” she added.
Ingram-Moore told Morgan that her father desired for the family to retain the profits from the three books he authored, said to amount to £800,000
As previously reported by Euro Weekly News, the family intimated to TalkTV that there was never an implication that the book sales would benefit charity but the detail of concern is unpalatable.
Ms Ingram-Moore told of her £18,000 payment for attending the Virgin Media O2 Captain Tom Foundation Connector Awards in 2021, in addition to her role as the foundation’s chief executive.
The sum was channelled to her family’s business with £16,000 retained and £2,000 donated to the Captain Tom Foundation.
The Charity Commission had previously initiated an inquiry into the foundation in June 2022, citing concerns over its management and its independence from Sir Tom’s family.
The foundation’s recent accounts revealed that from August 2021 to April 2022, Ingram-Moore received a gross salary of £63,750 as interim CEO.
A further sting in the tail comes at the family home.
They are currently appealing a ruling that they must demolish a building in their garden which was initially given planning permission, which was originally approved for the use of the occupiers and the Captain Tom Foundation in August 2021.
It was partly built when revised plans, which included a spa pool, toilets and a kitchen “for private use”, were submitted in February 2022 and subsequently rejected.
The family admitted to Piers Morgan that it was a mistake to have listed the foundation in the initial application.
Perception is everything and even with some errors of judgement, this whole sorry saga has not reached its conclusion given the extent of the publicity as well as the charity investigation.
The gallantry and selflessness of Captain Tom Moore endures as do his words of resilience and hope that spurred on the nation during the pandemic.
‘Tomorrow will be a good day’ was his message but facing accusations of wrong-doing, the clouds are still circling over his family.
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Graeme is a freelance writer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland who has been writing full-time for the last three years. He specialises in football and Rangers FC in particular, as well as being on top of news and trending matters. His work has been published in titles such as Rangers Review, Give Me Sport, Manchester Evening News, MyLondon and the Belfast News Letter.
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