A POIGNANT ceremony marking ten years since the accident which claimed the life of Red Arrows pilot Jon Egging took place in Dorset.
Civic dignitaries and representatives from the youth charity, John Egging Trust (JET) – which was established by Dr Emma Egging in her husband's name – attended the service at the Jon Egging Memorial, East Cliff, Bournemouth, on Friday (August 20) evening.
Flt Lt Egging died when his Hawk aircraft crashed shortly after a Red Arrows display at the 2011 Bournemouth Air Festival.
Ahead of Friday's memorial, JET students from across the UK had collaborated in writing a poem, 'My Future Dreams', to reflect the impact the charity’s confidence-building programmes have had on their lives.
The poem was presented as a plaque to Bournemouth Mayor, Cllr David Kelsey, during the ceremony.
Dr Emma Egging, JET chief executive officer, said the poem was a fitting way to mark the anniversary and reflect on the positive impact that the charity has had on the 30,000 young people it has supported since 2011.
She added: "In June 2011, Jon wrote in his diary: ‘With support where and when necessary, we are all equally capable of being the best versions of ourselves.’
"It’s something we talked about a lot."
"The last ten years have been an incredible journey turning this vision into a reality. I am so proud of what we have created in the Jon Egging Trust, empowering young people who are struggling to engage at school to believe in themselves and develop core competencies which are crucial to their success, such as teamwork, communication and resilience.
“Whilst this 10th anniversary year is about acknowledging the difference we have made over the last decade, this is only the beginning.
"We have big ambitions for the decade ahead which will see us expand our offer to support young people after they leave school, and reach out to a million youngsters by 2031, as well as continuing to develop our free, online ‘JET Inspired’ resources for schools across the UK.
“We can only achieve these ambitions with ongoing financial support.
"By donating to JET - no matter how big or small your pledge - you are enabling us to continue to give young people a chance of a brighter future.
"In the spirit of Jon’s diary entry, which laid the foundations for our charity, we know that when young people believe in themselves, there are no limits, and that is exactly the sentiment reflected in the poem we have released today.”
- Read more - Dorset law firm in charity plane pull
My Future Dreams
The sun always shines in the darkness of day,
JETs fly by with roaring thunder,
Helped by a team working together.
Having a blast, no two sessions the same.
So much fun but lots to gain.
Jon Egging has inspired us all to keep going,
To take strides each day,
Helping us to see the way to our future.
Built with determination and strength,
My future dreams are full of courage and enthusiasm.
Step by step my confidence grows
And my fear is swept away.
Learning big skills, knowledge and thrills,
Into our future we fly.
I’m now above the clouds and the light is shining on me
Flying high to a bright future,
Feeling free to climb to my destination.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here