Now a household name after his heartwarming efforts to help the NHS throughout the pandemic, Captain Sir Tom Moore is set to be honoured by his home county next year, with the Woodland Trust renaming a site near his hometown of Keighley as Captain Tom’s Memorial Wood.
Located at Holme House Wood, the 17 acres of land will face an extension next spring as part of the revamp, with more than 3,000 hedgerow trees, oak trees, crab apple, hawthorn, hazel and field maple set to be planted – marking part of the ongoing Northern Forest scheme which will see 50 million trees planted across the North and much of Yorkshire.
The revamped woodland site will also feature sweet nods to the beloved Yorkshireman, including a semi-circular bench which will be engraved with Sir Tom’s catchphrase, “tomorrow will be a good day”.
Daughter of Sir Tom Lucy Teixeira said: “This is a wonderful fitting tribute to my father and his love of nature.
“Trees for Tom grew from my environmental colleagues asking what they could do to honour my father’s death. I asked them to plant trees.
“This project highlights those who have lost a loved one in the last 18 months. Captain Tom’s Memorial Woodland will be for everyone in the community and for anyone who wants to come and remember a loved one.
“This wood gives us hope for a greener future with nature at the core of all our thinking.”
Alistair Nash, site manager from the Woodland Trust said: “It’s an honour to rename and extend this beautiful site in tribute to a great Yorkshireman.
“Sir Tom was concerned about what the future holds for his grandchildren and the negative impact we are having on our planet.
“We hope this wood will be a fitting memorial to Sir Tom and will inspire people from across the UK, to protect and cherish the natural environment whist enjoying all the splendour this site has to offer.”
Planting at Captain Tom’s Memorial Wood will begin in the spring of 2022, with all works estimated for completion by autumn. The site can be found within the White Rose Forest, and will make the perfect place for family strolls next autumn.
Captain Sir Tom Moore died earlier this year ahead of his 101st birthday. The Yorkshire veteran stole the hearts of the nation during the first nationwide lockdown, raising a whopping £33 million for NHS charities.
