The charity today also launched the first ever
direct mailing appeal to find missing children.
The ‘Bonus Bag’, distributed by Valassis, the
biggest name in vouchers and coupons in the UK,
hopes to replicate a successful scheme in
America where an appeal is featured each week in
58 million postal packs.
The first to
feature is Carmel Fenech, missing from Crawley
aged 16 since the 23 May 1998. Her mother Deidre
said: “I am delighted Carmel will be the first
to be highlighted by this new scheme. I will be
wearing my charity yellow ribbon with pride to
highlight Carmel, Madeleine and all the others
the charity hopes to help find.”
For more
details of the ‘missing ribbon’ and information
on Missing People, visit the charity’s new
website at
www.missingpeople.org.uk
Missing People wishes to thank ‘Yahoo! For Good’
and ‘Friends Reunited’ for their support in
making its new website and launch event
possible.
ENDS.
Launch
event (filming and photography opportunities)
25 May -
International Missing Children’s day – John
McCann will be in available for media interview
between 10:30-11:30am at the offices of Missing
People, 284 Upper Richmond Road west, East
Sheen, London SW14 7JE.
24 May –
supporters launch event - at 12:15 at Soho
Hotel, Richmond Mews, London, W1D 3DH. Please
RSVP to
rsvp@missingpersons.org
if you wish to attend.
Media
Enquiries
Email:
media@missingpersons.org
(pre 25 May)
media@missingpeople.org.uk
(post 25 May)
Consumer - t:
020 8392 4510/11/13 m:
07872600178.
Trade – t:
020 8932 4515/20 m:
07872600178
Available for your use
Case
studies
Details,
images and families of current missing people
registered with the charity and police are
available.
Spokespeople
Missing People
spokespeople are available.
Images
New images to
illustrate the issue and services provided by
Missing People are available.
Notes
to Editor
Bonus
Bag
The Bonus Bag
will be distributed quarterly with a different
appeal for a missing child. Nearly two million
homes are anticipated to receive the packs by
next year.
Supporting Statements
Celebrity
supporter of Missing People, Sir Trevor McDonald
said: “I have always been greatly impressed with
the scale of the charity’s work and the
dedication of its staff and volunteers. I wish
them every success as they enter a new era.”
Chief
Executive of Missing People, Paul Tuohy said:
“In addition to the charity’s core services,
finding the missing, supporting young runaways
and those left behind, we are also becoming a
centre of knowledge and policy influence.
“Missing is a
social issue and it is vital that the charity
continues to evolve in order to reflect the
ever-changing society it serves.”
Further Facts/Statistics
Missing People
is now working with every police force in
England and Wales, creating the first
comprehensive database of the missing in the UK.
- Finding
Missing People and Supporting Families
Missing People
recorded enquiries on over 18,500 incidents of
missing people in 2006. This is an increase of
over 170% on the number of enquiries recorded in
2005, fuelled by an increase in enquiries
received via a new protocol with police forces.
Missing People
opened just over 1,800 actively managed missing
people support cases in 2006 period (an increase
of 6% on 2005).
44% of cases
now opened by Missing People originate from the
police (protocol or non-protocol); indicating
the strong relationship the charity has built
with police forces over time.
A dedicated
team for young people missing from care received
notifications of 4,500 incidents.
- Reuniting
1,550 Missing
People cases were resolved in 2006. In nine out
of ten cases, the missing person was found
alive.
On average, 10
missing people are found every week directly
through the work of Missing People.
At least one
case every month is resolved directly as a
result of publicity generated by the charity.
- Assisting
Young Runaways and Missing People
Missing People
runs two services to assist missing people
directly. In 2006, the
Runaways
Helpline (for young people) received over 42,000
calls; Message Home (for missing adults)
received over 37,000 calls.
These calls
resulted in the charity assisting nearly 3,000
users via Runaway Helpline and 2,750 users via
Message Home.
This equates
to offers of direct assistance to nearly 80
young people via dedicated services for the
missing.
The combined
total number of requests for assistance was 40%
higher than the total recorded in 2005.
-
Identification Services
In 2006
Missing People received nearly 1,100 enquiries
relating to attempts to find unknown next of kin
(for both alive and deceased people).
About
Missing People
Missing People
is the UK’s only charity that works with young
runaways, missing and unidentified people, their
families and others who care for them. As well
as actively searching for missing people and
supporting those who are trying to find them,
the charity offers three other services; Runaway
Helpline (for young runaways), Message Home (for
missing adults) and Identification (helping to
resolve cases of unidentified people).
The charity
started from a bedroom in south-west London
following the disappearance of estate agent Suzy
Lamplugh in 1986. The services grew rapidly and
in 1993 it became a registered charity (No.
1020419), an occasion which was marked with an
office visit by Diana, Princess of Wales.
The charity
also came to prominence by helping to identity
victims of Fred and Rosemary West in 1994. The
vital role of the charity has now been formally
acknowledged by authorities including police and
social care services who both have working
protocols with Missing People.
Other
services
Runaway
Helpline – 24 hour confidential Freefone
service (0808 800 7070)
A 24 hour
confidential helpline for runaways operated by
the charity Missing People, offering help and
advice to young people who have run away from
home or care, or who have been forced to leave.
Message
Home - 24 hour confidential Freefone
service (0800 700 740)
A unique
confidential service run by the charity Missing
People offering help, advice and a message home
service to adults who are missing.
Identification – Are you trying to identify
someone? (020 8392 4509)
Identification
is a specialist service offered by Missing
People to support police, coroners, hospitals
and social services to resolve cases of
unidentified people (alive or dead).
