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NO STONE UNTURNED': New vigour in the hunt for Madeleine |
THE brother of
Gerry McCann has quit the
Madeleine Fund
amid a drive to inject
new dynamism into the search for the missing seven-year-old.
John McCann
has been a dedicated director since the fund was launched more than
three years ago and worked tirelessly behind the scenes to do everything
he could to find the child.
However, latest company accounts show he left last month along with
fellow director
Douglas
Skehan, a heart specialist and
colleague of Gerry McCann who works with him at Leicester’s Glenfield
Hospital. Speaking at the launch of the fund two weeks after Madeleine
vanished, John said: “This fund will be a vehicle to help our family get
our darling, wee niece back.”
In an update to their website, neither
Kate nor
Gerry McCann
mentioned the names of the directors who have
left.
Instead they focused on the renewed vigour behind the campaign to find
their daughter. They believe
Madeleine
was abducted from their
holiday
apartment
in
Praia da Luz
on Portugal’s Algarve coast in May 2007.
The message states: “There will be some changes and development in terms
of strategy and ideas as we endeavour to leave no stone unturned in our
search.
“This will include some changes to the board of Madeleine’s Fund, simply
to try to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of what we are doing.
It has now been three years and four months since Madeleine was taken
from us. None of us ever thought we’d still be in the position we are
today.
“Inevitably there has to be change for a variety of reasons but
importantly, this will also allow people to help and support us in
different ways.
“Regardless of change, everyone’s focus, commitment and desire continues
to be that of finding Madeleine.”
New board members, as yet unnamed, have been appointed to the fund,
which stands at £450,000 and relies on public donations to pay
private
investigators to carry on the search.
The unsigned blog continues: “Keeping Madeleine’s image out there
greatly increases our chances of finding her.
“It is a reminder to people that she is still missing and to please keep
looking for her. In addition, we know that somebody knows where
Madeleine is.
“One more reminder of her may be all that it takes for them to finally
come forward and let us know.”
The McCanns met Home Secretary
Theresa May
over the summer to ask for
a review of all evidence in the case. |