Sculpture Unveiled Of 'Beacon Of Light' Captain Tom Moore

A bronze sculpture has been unveiled of "beacon of light" Captain Tom Moore in honour of his fundraising efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.

The artwork of the Second World War veteran includes his medals and his trademark blazer.

The 100-year-old, who raised nearly £33 million for the NHS by walking laps of his Bedfordshire garden, is set to be knighted by the Queen in a personal open-air ceremony at Windsor Castle on Friday.

Gary McBride, from Derbyshire-based Mounemental Icons, commissioned the sculpture.

Explaining why he decided to pay for the bust, Mr McBride said: "When we were in lockdown, for the first time in my life, they said ‘You have got to stay at home and do nothing’.

"Every television programme you put on… there was Captain Tom, as he was then.

"As he progressed with his walk, he was more and more on the screens and so I just thought that for his achievements it would be really, really sad if, after five or 10 years, everyone had forgotten what he had actually done."

He added: "He became everyone’s champion and he was our beacon of light, so to speak, through our darkest hours.

"I was in a fortunate position, being in the monument and sculpture business, and my sculptor, Andy Edwards, he was locked down as well.

"So we found some clay, we worked on the photographs that were on Captain Sir Tom’s Facebook page and then we decided to make a bust."

Mr McBride hopes the bust will go on display at the headquarters of NHS Charities Together - the charity Capt Tom raised money for.  

Cover image: Gary McBride with the bronze bust of Captain Tom Moore (Picture: PA).