6th June 2012

BEAMINSTER: Memorial honour for Red Arrows pilot

A MEMORIAL for the Red Arrows pilot who died in a plane crash minutes after performing above Drimpton has been erected by residents.

The decision to erect a weather vain for Jon Egging follows the world-famous RAF Aerobatic team’s support of the village’s fun day last year.

The Red Arrows pilot died minutes after putting on a show in a Red Arrows Fly Past at Drimpton Fun Day.

This year’s fun day was held in part for the memorial and to help raise funds for village-based good causes.

Mike Saunders, Chair of the Village Hall Committee, said: “As a village community we decided to set up a memorial to our successful Fun Day and to the tragic death of Jon Egging.

”In 2011 the world-famous RAF Aerobatic team, the Red Arrows, played a great part in support of our fundraising efforts to upgrade our village hall when they provided a fly past for our Fun Day.

“They also gave the main prize for our Grand Draw, a day for two people with the Red Arrows at their home base in Lincolnshire.

“It was an amazing gift and a great day. But, a very short time after flying over Drimpton we heard the tragic news that Red 4, piloted by Flt Lt Jon Egging, had crashed at Bournemouth.

“In this way the tragic death of Flt Lt Jon Egging will have both a visible memorial, the weather vane, and a living memorial, in the lives of young local people.”

The weather vane was erected on the roof of Drimpton Village Hall on Saturday, May 26th.

The weather vane was made possible by microlight enthusiast Bill Studley and his wife, Vanessa.

Such is the support for the Red Arrows, and the esteem that they are held in the aviation world, that Bill’s fellow microlight pilot, Dave Valentine, and his team produced the weather vane, in his small factory, using stainless steel and powder coat paint free of charge.

This generosity has enabled the village hall committee to donate the £350 raised for the weather vane to the Jon Egging Trust.

The trust creates partnerships and develops opportunities for young people who are under-achieving in the formal education system.