THE DAUGHTER of Captain Sir Tom Moore opened a running track at a Woodley school last week.
Pupils and teachers at St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School on Western Avenue welcomed Lucy Teixeira, the eldest of Sir Tom’s daughters, on Thursday, July 1, for the official opening.
Named after Sir Tom, the track was installed for all years to use for both sport and playtimes.
Mrs Teixeira was invited to the school, after pupils raised more than £4,000 completing sponsored runs for The Woodland Trust.
Until the end of the year, the organisation is running a Trees for Tom campaign led by Mrs Teixeira,to create a woodland in Keighley, where her father grew up.
Year 5 pupils Gil Charles and Zahra Kazmi presented Mrs Teixeira with a cheque to mark their fundraising.
Mrs Teixeira said the running track and fundraiser were perfectly aligned with her father’s passions.
“It’s about keeping fit, and building that resilience into your life,” she said. “And also being in nature, and freeing the mind from troubled and anxiety — it builds it into the children’s psyche.”
She said the amount raised was incredible, and praised pupils for their hard work.
Addressing the students, she said her Father, aged 99, bought a treadmill to help him recover from an injury.
“He knew the importance of moving to recover,” she said. “I am so happy you’ve managed to build a track, my Father would have been thrilled.”
Mrs Teixeira said although it was painful not being able to see her Father in his last year, he left a beautiful legacy.
“I’m very proud of what he achieved,” she said. “I’ve just received a copy of an NHS magazine and he’s in there, and it says how many departments are benefitting from his work.”
Assistant head teacher, Patrick Mullens, said Sir Tom had inspired the schoolchildren,
“He captured the hearts of the children and the nation,” he said. “I was flabbergasted with how much they raised — it’s one of our best fundraisers.”
At the event, Mrs Teixeira announced that some of the trees pupils raised money for would be planted on site.
Father Bill Wilson, who is also a governor at the school, gave a blessing at the event.
He said the track was a great way to bring all aspects of school life together.
“It celebrates mind, body and spirit,” he told Wokingham.Today.
After Mrs Teixeira cut the ribbon to open the new track, Mr Mullens’ Year 4 class ran an honorary lap.
There was also a Year 6 performance of Consider Yourself, from Oliver! And some pupils performed the Haka.
The event was finished with a celebratory slice of cake, created by teaching assistant, Brenda D’Mello, and depicting the new track.
