Earlier this week the nation lost a true hero, but Captain Sir Tom’s legacy of hope will live with us forever. In a wonderful tribute to his 100 years of life and his feat of walking 100 laps of the loop in his garden to raise a staggering £33 million for the NHS, Head of School Andy Wong, along with school monitor Seong Wan Pai, galvanised the support of 32 boarding comrades to complete the challenge of running 100 laps of the school Inky Pitch.
Andy Wong said, “All boys at school ran laps of the Inky Pitch totalling over 100 laps as a group to match what Captain Tom did. The battle against coronavirus is a group effort therefore we decided to do this initiative as a group.”
Fittingly, the boys started their run straight after joining the nation in the ‘clap for Captain Sir Tom Moore’. Against a backdrop of the most beautiful red sunset, the boys ran their laps with purpose.
James Hinkins, Housemaster of Burnaby Boarding House who supervised the run, said, “The remaining 30 or so boarders have formed quite a bond as they have activities together every day and eat together at mealtimes. When Andy Wong and Seong Wan Pai mentioned to the boarding community the idea of running 100 laps of the Inky Pitch in memory of Captain Sir Tom Moore, they were instantly in full support. Captain Sir Tom Moore has done so much good in so many ways for so many people, and this was a fitting way for the boys to show their recognition of his achievements and pay their respects to a truly inspirational person.”
Andy said after the run, “Captain Tom was such an inspiration during the first lockdown, such a selfless person who achieved so much at his age. From a leadership point of view, he really inspired me to become a better leader, to serve the country indirectly by raising awareness of the dangers of Covid-19 and helping the nurses and doctors under huge pressure.”