I feel reluctant to write this for fear of drawing attention to this social media challenge to young people, but feel that there must be some effort made to highlight the dangers of this recent trend.  The 48 hour challenge is to disappear from home for 48 hours or more, earning points for avoiding detection and posting your whereabouts via  social media updates.

This is risky.  There are abusers out there, there are traffickers out there, there are simply accidents waiting to happen from which you cannot easily extricate yourself.  Consider too the profound panic and worry your family and friends go through.  I know how this feels because my son has been missing for 10 years.  

Also, please think about the unnecessary time and effort wasted by Police searching for you when there are other kids out there genuinely in harm's way; what would you say to the person who was abused because you diverted resources from the search?

I do not want to lecture or frighten anyone, I do want you to think about staying safe and keeping others safe.  If you need to talk about this with anyone or you are worried about a friend, please ring 116000 Missing People.  It is free, 24/7 and a lot less embarrassing than being taken home in a Police car at best.

If you are reading this as a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, teacher or youth worker,  please raise it with younger members of your family.  We thought our son was a quiet sensible lad without problems, but he still disappeared ten years ago.  Please do not let it happen to you.

http://www.runawayhelpline.org.uk/

On 14th September 2017 I carried out a 10 hour sponsored silence to reflect the empty gulf left in our family by Andrew's disappearance.  This included a collection at Doncaster Railway Station where Andrew was last seen in his home town 10 years ago.  We raised just over £3,000 for Missing People and donations can still be made here:

​https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kevingosden

As a family, we have been touched and moved by this amazing response and particularly by the many messages of hope and support left on that page and elsewhere.  Completing the silence was not something I found easy, but I assure you that I did it and that there were many witnesses to the fact.

Many readers of this blog will be aware that there was a significant amount of media attention during that week; to the extent that I had to turn down a number of interview opportunities because there simply wasn't time.  It is also something which we find very emotionally draining.

To capitalise on the fresh awareness raised, we are asking readers to help us with a social media campaign called "Thunderclap".  In contrast to my silence, the Thunderclap sends an appeal to all your Facebook friends, Twitter followers and Tumblr followers on the same day at the same time.  This accumulates to a huge number of appeals being made, which are hopefully shared and retweeted in turn, making a big "noise" for Andrew.

We are therefore asking for your help once again.  On this occasion it is simple to sign up to and entirely free.  We will be very grateful if you would sign up here before November 14th and help our campaign. Simply click the  graphic below and use your social media accounts to help us with our  appeal. 

​Again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for your tireless and generous support, Kevin.