Tragic aid worker’s parents visit Afghan projects funded in her memory

John and Lorna Norgrove – whose daughter Linda died during a mission to rescue her from hostage takers in October 2010 – visited projects funded through a foundation they set up in her memory.

The couple, from Lewis, hope money from the Linda Norgrove Foundation will continue the 36-year-old’s work in the war-torn country.

During their recent trip, they visited a number of aid projects including a children’s circus school and a women’s safe house.

Mr Norgrove said setting up the fund has helped them cope better with their loss but they found the visit to Kabul “difficult”.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, Mr Norgrove said: “It’s very satisfying in many ways. Lorna and I are both of retiring age so it’s quite a lot of work as well.

“Overall it’s been a really great thing for us. It’s turned something which was very negative, it’s turned into something positive that’s come out of it.

“That’s valuable for us. I think that has let us cope with the loss of Linda far better than it would have been if we had been blaming people.”

Mr Norgrove told the Good Morning Scotland programme they visited the country for several reasons but mainly to see the schemes they have financed, including the Afghan Educational Children’s Circus where they have paid for lunches for 120 children for a year.

He said: “We wanted to see what has been achieved and we also wanted to see schemes we might put money into in the future.

“We wanted to meet up with some of Linda’s friends and colleagues when we were out there and also we went to see the people who are working for us in the country who we have only ever communicated with by emails or telephone before.”