The widow of a Rutland pilot completed the first of her charity tasks in Grantham over the weekend.

Dr Emma Egging, CEO of the youth charity Jon Egging Trust, has successfully completed a gruelling 33-mile ultramarathon along the Grantham Canal to mark JET's 10th anniversary and launch the charity's national JET10 Virtual Relay initiative.

As Nub News reported earlier this month, the events are taking place in memory of Emma's late husband Jon, who sadly died in a flying accident aged 33.

Emma's epic run has already raised over £12,199 for JET's vital work with vulnerable youngsters, but she isn't hanging up her trainers just yet.

Instead, she has set herself the daunting challenge of completing ten epic events this year in an effort to shine a spotlight on JET's work and push towards an anniversary fundraising target of £100,000.

"It's definitely the hardest run I've ever done, but it was also hugely rewarding - hearing news of donations coming in as I ran really kept me motivated," said Emma.

"In the past decade we've worked with over 30,000 young people across the UK. Young people are facing unprecedented challenge and uncertainty in the wake of Covid-19. Many of the students we work with have been affected emotionally and educationally.

"We've seen careers and further education dreams put on hold, exams cancelled, and anxiety for the future rise; we're acutely aware of the mountain we have to climb to help youngsters recover from the impacts of the past year.

"At the Jon Egging Trust we're more determined than ever to expand our programmes to support as many youngsters as we can to get back on track towards the futures they deserve."

Setting off from the centre line of Nottingham Forest's City Ground stadium on the morning of 18th April, Emma was waved off by former Scottish football pro and Notts Forest ambassador John McGovern.

She was then joined by ex-Red Arrows leader and JET supporter Sqn Ldr Martin Pert for the first 13 miles. Thereafter, she was partnered by ex-Battle of Britain Memorial Flight boss Sqn Ldr Dunc Mason, and JET Patron, Air Vice-Marshal Harv Smyth who ran the final ten miles to the finish in Grantham.

The ultramarathon marks the start of an ambitious year of fundraising for the charity, and launches its JET10 Virtual Relay, a national initiative in which teams of 10 are invited to walk, run or even paddleboard 10x10kms. Money raised by Emma's challenges and the JET10 relay will help to support JET's ambition to reach out to one million youngsters by 2031.

To donate to Emma's epic events, or to learn more about the JET10 Virtual Relay visit : www.joneggingtrust.org.uk/JET10