Members of a faith-driven Stevenage-based charity have stepped up to a variety of fundraising feats as part of the Captain Tom 100 challenge.

Mercy Ships is an international development organisation that deploys hospital ships to some of the poorest countries in the world, delivering vital, free healthcare to people in desperate need.

Letchworth couple Anne and Joel Buckland rose to the challenge and spent the entire bank holiday weekend interviewing, editing and broadcasting interviews of hope as their Captain Tom 100 Challenge.

Believing that everyone needs hope in these times, Anne, who is also senior communications manager at the charity, said: “Mercy Ships is all about creating hope out of adversity. I feel the incredible Captain Sir Tom captured the nation because he gave us all hope in a time when we were experiencing an international crisis.

The Comet: Mercy Ships' Anne and Joel Buckland with their ten-month-old sonMercy Ships' Anne and Joel Buckland with their ten-month-old son (Image: Mercy Ships)

“Joel and I hope that by finding, telling and broadcasting 100 stories of hope we can continue Captain Sir Tom’s legacy of bringing hope while also raising money to spread hope and healing."

The pair created 100 podcasts by asking people from around the world to share their vision and personal stories of hope and what it means to them.

“It was amazing," Anne added. "In 100 conversations, no one had the same definition of hope. It was incredible how a simple four-letter word could inspire so much in people, and also come loaded with so much promise and complexity."

Anne and Joel's efforts have currently raised more than £200 for Mercy Ships, with more donations welcome on their Money Giving page. Their podcasts are available to listen to on 100storiesofhope.com.

Alongside Anne and Joel, Stevenage-based staff at Mercy Ships got onboard with the Captain Tom Challenge.

Tim Farquhar, Holly Summers, Emily Stowe, Sandrine Gamaury and Christine Brown and her husband Peter teamed up to walk 100 miles between them to raise vital funds for Mercy Ships on Saturday (May 1). They raised more than £600, with donations still pouring in.

Other contributions to the challenge - including a football kickabout, sponsored litter pick and planting 100 seeds - helped Mercy Ships' team raise more than £1,500 collectively.

Chief executive of Mercy Ships Jo Balaam said: “It was wonderful to see so many staff galvanised to continue the legacy of Captain Sir Tom Moore and inspire some of the hope he did while raising money to help those in need of life-changing surgery.”