Charity pays tribute to squadron leader killed in crash from Telford

Squadron Leader Gaz Stevens was recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list only last month for his dedication to a project that helps disadvantaged youngsters achieve their potential.

The 39-year-old, who was previously based at RAF Cosford but had moved to RAF Brize Norton, died after a crash on the A361, in Oxfordshire on Saturday, June 29.

During his time at RAF Cosford Squadron Leader Stevens had been pivotal in setting up the station's programmes for the Jon Egging Trust – a charity that supports young people in difficult circumstances to achieve their potential.

That work was instrumental in him being awarded the Chief of the Air Staffs’ (CAS) Commendation in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

The award was recognition of his work setting up the Jon Egging Trust (JET) Blue Skies programme at RAF Cosford and raising £32,000 for JET and many other charities including RAF Benevolent Fund (RAFBF), and Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA).

Blue Skies is a flagship youth engagement programme, that is described as "an intensive, targeted, early intervention programme working with young people from the age of 10 plus who are often underachieving or come from challenging backgrounds and may be at risk of falling out of education".

Speaking last month after he received the award Squadron Leader Stevens said: "I feel so very proud and honoured to have received a Chief of the Air Staffs’ (CAS) Commendation. I cannot praise or thank all my team enough at RAF Cosford who worked with me to achieve so much. Working with the Jon Egging Trust was incredibly rewarding and to be able to tangibly turn our fund-raising efforts into helping and supporting young people from the local area was an amazing opportunity.”

Squadron Leader Stevens' father, Dave, spoke of the family's pride in his achievements and impact on the lives of others.

He said: "As a family we are devastated, but by the same token have been comforted and lifted by the massive outpouring of love for our son.

"He has always been amazing to us but to see the genuine impact that he has had on people’s lives is staggering.

"His career in the RAF, to us has been beyond impressive, culminating in his recent CAS Commendation in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his charity work, but to him it was always “just work”.

"He always put others’ interests before his own and has, during all this time maintained friendships lasting back to his school days."

Squadron Leader Stevens was a former pupil of Harvey Grammar School for Boys, and joined the RAF in September 1998.

Following in his grandfather's footsteps, he initially joined as a propulsion technician and commissioned in 2006 as an engineer officer.

A tribute from the Jon Egging Trust spoke of the key role he had played in helping inspire the youngsters taking part in the Blue Skies programme.

A spokesman said: "Gaz was pivotal in setting up the Jon Egging Trust’s programmes at RAF Cosford as well as driving the station’s tremendous fundraising efforts – in our launch year he helped us to raise £15,000.

"His hard work was recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours through the award of the Chief of the Air Staffs’ (CAS) Commendation.

"Gaz gave his time to coordinate the sessions on station inspiring the students to be the best they can be. He also went above and beyond to ensure the young people were given the support and inspiration they needed with the creation of the RAF Cosford JET Committee, made up of supporters from across base."

The statement added: "Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues at this sad time. Gaz’s inspiration will live on through the young people whose lives he helped change for the better and the Jon Egging Trust is committed to ensuring that we honour Gaz’s life in every way we can."

Later this year a section of the Great Wall of China will be walked in Squadron Leader Stevens' memory by his partner Katie Forteath, with all donations received going to JET.

She said: "Gaz believed in the potential of people and had a positive and inclusive outlook on life. He received his Chief of Air Staff commendation for his work with the Jon Egging trust at RAF Cosford and, as recently as last week, volunteered to be OC Jon Egging trust at RAF Brize Norton.

"The charity do incredible work in teaching young people important life skills, giving them the confidence to achieve their dreams in life. Gaz was directly involved at Cosford and was planning more work with them."