MORE young people are set to benefit from the work of the Jon Egging Trust, set up in memory of the Red Arrows pilot who lost his life at the 2011 Bournemouth Air Festival.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, Flt Lt Jon Egging’s widow, Dr Emma Egging, said the trust, which is one of the charities being supported by this year’s festival, had big plans to help more young people achieve more – including continuing its work with schools in Bournemouth via its Blue Skies programme.

She said: “We’ve just grown and grown over the last three years and this year we’ve had 120 people on the programme.

“Bournemouth has always and will always have a special connection to the trust.

“Next year we will be putting them on work placements in the Bournemouth area to help them be the best they can be.

“As a charity we work really hard to work with you people before they become another statistic.”

The charity has just confirmed a new patron – TV science man Prof Brian Cox.

It was three years ago that Dr Egging’s life changed when her husband, who was Red Four in the Red Arrows, died when his jet crashed as the team returned to Bournemouth Airport following a display at the air festival.

Dr Egging said: “Obviously there’s always going to be an element of emotion, and it’s difficult for me to be here in many ways, but at the same time there is an immense pride in seeing the team perform.”

The trust will be expanding in to more parts of the UK next year, said Dr Egging.

“The people of Bournemouth have been so amazingly supportive,” she added.