CAPTAIN Sir Tom Moore has been named as one of the first Welcome to Yorkshire Personal Members as the tourism body launches a 'friends' scheme for the county.

The NHS fundraiser, who was born in Keighley, has helped launch the new personal membership scheme available to people across the world who have a connection to Yorkshire.

'My Y' membership is free but a tree will be planted in Yorkshire for every paid annual membership of £20.

Welcome to Yorkshire believes that offering 'a little piece of Yorkshire' to everyone that signs up will unite millions of people who love Yorkshire across the world, and by doing so support the creation of new woodlands across the county.

The organisation said trees were vital for people’s health and wellbeing, for wildlife and in the fight against climate change.

Joining Tom as one of the first Personal Members was Mirfield’s own multi-award-winning actor Sir Patrick Stewart, from Star Trek the Next Generation, Yorkshire Shepherdess Amanda Owen.

Captain Sir Tom Moore and Sir Patrick Stewart both expressed their delight at also having trees planted for them as honorary personal members. Their names were announced on Yorkshire Day, August 1.

Sir Patrick said: “I was born in Yorkshire 80 years ago and for the first 17 years of my life Yorkshire gave me the inspiration, access to hard work and people to meet that led me to choosing the career of an actor.

"For 20 years I lived in a house on a hilltop in Wharfedale and the joy, the tranquillity, the beauty of this place has never left me even though I have left the house.

"I am so proud to be having a tree named after me on behalf of Welcome to Yorkshire. And remember, you can always tell a Yorkshireman, but you can’t tell him much.” 

Visit yorkshire.com/becomeamember to find out how to become a My Y member.