April 2021 – Our CEO, Dr Emma Egging, is embarking on ten epic challenges in 2021 to mark the 10th anniversary of the Jon Egging Trust. Emma’s challenges will kick off with the gruelling 33-mile Grantham Canal ultramarathon on April 18th when she will be joined in stages by former Red Arrows leader Sqn Ldr Martin Pert, ex Battle of Britain Memorial Flight boss Sqn Ldr Dunc Mason, and JET Patron, Air Vice-Marshal Harv Smyth.
Emma’s ultramarathon, which will start at Nottingham Forest Football Club, will also launch the charity’s JET10 Virtual Relay, a national initiative to encourage teams of 10 from across the UK to jog, run or walk 10x10kms to raise vital funds to support JET’s next decade of work.
Over the past ten years, JET has supported more than 30,000 young people, but we have set a hugely ambitious target of raising £100k to help reach out to 1 million youngsters by 2031.
Despite the immense physical challenge of many of the ten events Emma has chosen, she says she’s anything but a super-athlete and has selected each one because it will push her out of her comfort zone.
“At JET, we work with young people who are at risk of falling out of full-time education because of the life challenges they face,” says Emma.
“Our ethos is all about building confidence to overcome adversity and get back on track. That’s exactly what I’m doing too; taking on events that will be a huge personal challenge to me and overcoming fears – which include open water swimming – to show that anything is possible with support and determination.
“I really hope my events will shine a light on the work we do and encourage people to sign up for our virtual relay. We need to raise funds to springboard our ambition for the next ten years, and the young people we support need us more than ever in light of the added challenge and complexity that Covid-19 has heaped on their lives.”
Here’s Emma’s JET10 challenge line-up:-
- Grantham Canal 33-mile ultramarathon (April 18th)
- Paddleboarding challenge – paddlebaording half marathon – 13 miles. River Witham, Lincs (June 17th)
- #JET10 virtual relay (July 10th & 11th)
- Open water swim: 2.5 miles along the length of Buttermere in the Lake District, Cumbria (17th July)
- Potholing in “Britain’s largest and most complex cave system @ Ease Gill, in Yorkshire” (7th August)
- Triathlon (Aug – date to be confirmed)
- Orienteering and wild camping challenge – Peak District (25th/26th August)
- Great North Run (12th Sept)
- JET Ride – 100-mile cycle (26th Sept)
- Virtual London Marathon (Sun 3rd Oct)
Find out more about our #JET10 Virtual Relay here
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News and updates about the challenge will be shared on our website and our social media channels – we’ll be using and sharing content using the hashtag #JET10 – so feel free to join in the conversation.
Want to support the work of the Jon Egging Trust? Find out more here
About the Jon Egging Trust
Founded in 2011 by Dr Emma Egging following the tragic death of her husband, Red Arrows pilot Flt Lt Jon Egging, the Jon Egging Trust (JET) supports vulnerable young people to get back on track and realise their potential.
Over the past decade, JET has supported more than 30,000 young lives through its unique motivational, inspirational and confidence-building Blue Skies programmes which are delivered in partnership with schools and youth organisations across the UK.
2021 marks JET’s 10th anniversary and promises to be a landmark year which includes the national JET10 Virtual Relay in July, the annual JET Ride cycle event in September, and the launch of JET Inspired (a virtual resource hub for teachers and youth organisations) in April 2021 in partnership with the Red Arrows.