Around the UK, posters appeal to the public to “Help Find Every Child”. They appear on bus stops, railway stations, in shopping centres, all over the place to the extent that they have become part of the visual fabric surrounding us all. The fact that it is our son’s image most often seen on these is simply because when the charity Missing People approached us about using his image, we said yes.
We wondered at the time how it would feel to see them, but knew that we could do no other than support the charity that has helped us so much for so long. It does feel strange when we encounter them, a combination of feeling pleased that we have been able to do something to help the charity and other missing kids alongside the somewhat surreal “Is this really our lives?” feeling.
The posters are distributed by advertising firm JC Decaux, who generously donate unrented advertising space to Missing People as part of their work supporting the charitable sector. For us, it has undoubtedly raised Andrew’s profile significantly, but it remains more important to us as a family that it raises awareness of the Missing People helpline and that it encourages people to donate in support of this amazing charity. Without them by our side for the past dozen years, we would undoubtedly have been isolated, lost, confused, frustrated, angry, not knowing where to turn for help.
Missing People are an amazing charity. They change lives, not least by supporting those with missing loved ones. They change lives with telephone calls from those thinking of going missing or running away, with those who have done so and find themselves in trouble and they change lives with those kids who go missing but then return and are helped to find a better path for themselves with Missing People’s support.
You can donate here > Missing People
We wondered at the time how it would feel to see them, but knew that we could do no other than support the charity that has helped us so much for so long. It does feel strange when we encounter them, a combination of feeling pleased that we have been able to do something to help the charity and other missing kids alongside the somewhat surreal “Is this really our lives?” feeling.
The posters are distributed by advertising firm JC Decaux, who generously donate unrented advertising space to Missing People as part of their work supporting the charitable sector. For us, it has undoubtedly raised Andrew’s profile significantly, but it remains more important to us as a family that it raises awareness of the Missing People helpline and that it encourages people to donate in support of this amazing charity. Without them by our side for the past dozen years, we would undoubtedly have been isolated, lost, confused, frustrated, angry, not knowing where to turn for help.
Missing People are an amazing charity. They change lives, not least by supporting those with missing loved ones. They change lives with telephone calls from those thinking of going missing or running away, with those who have done so and find themselves in trouble and they change lives with those kids who go missing but then return and are helped to find a better path for themselves with Missing People’s support.
You can donate here > Missing People
