Day 2920: Friday 01 May, 2015 - Update Eight years.

MAY 2015


Day 2920: Friday 01 May, 2015 - Update Eight years. 

Updates

There's no gentle way of putting it. Whilst most days, weeks and months are fairly similar –

Madeleine is missed every day – this time of year cuts deep as it's a harsh reminder of time having passed and precious years with Madeleine lost.  

Without a shadow of doubt, the love, support, help and prayers that we continue to receive from so many people, in spite of the years which have gone by, encourages us, maintains our hope and lifts our spirits. 

We are also buoyed and reassured by the unwavering commitment and continued progress being made in the investigation. We are really grateful to the Metropolitan Police team for their conscientiousness, patience, consideration shown to us and above all, their will to find Madeleine and determine what has happened. 

Cooperation with and from the Portuguese Police has, and still is, vital to the success of the investigation. We are very appreciative of the joint working relationship established between the two forces.

 Next month, I will be raising awareness again of the charity Missing People, and the many children who go missing every year. One child is too many. I will be taking part in a 500 mile charity cycle from Edinburgh to London and during this journey, I am hoping to promote the UK's Child Rescue Alert (CRA) system. If you can help me, please do by either donating at www.justgiving.com/KateMcCann/ and/or signing up to the CRA at www.childrescuealert.org.uk.

We've always promised ourselves that something positive has to come out of all the suffering Madeleine and our family have endured. If highlighting the issues of child abduction (and missing children in general) and raising money to enable the charity Missing People to carry out their invaluable work improves this very real and heartbreaking problem, then every push of those pedals will be worth it. Always. 

 Thank you again for your incredible and very humbling kindness and support.  

Kate and Gerry

Day 1124: 31/05/2010 Monday. Madeleine Beth McCann: May 31st, Important Update: Child Rescue Alert

Day 1124: 31/05/2010 Monday. Madeleine Beth McCann  

May 31st, Important Update: Child Rescue Alert

 

Last Tuesday, May 25th, was International Missing Children's Day. Disappointingly, the day didn't seem to get as much attention as it deserves, or rather, as all missing children deserve ' and need!

The day was also important as the UK's new 'Child Rescue Alert' was launched. Gerry and I, along with many others, campaigned hard back in 2008 for the development of such a system within all countries across Europe, to help when a child is abducted. Many of you also helped to make this campaign successful by lobbying your M.E.P.'s at this time. In view of this, I feel it's important that as many people as possible within the UK are aware of, and familiar with this new 'Child Rescue Alert'. This is a system which could save the life of a child. Each member of our country could play a role in achieving this, if they are aware of the CRA and its usage. 

 

The Child Rescue Alert will be used by the police when it is probable that a child has been abducted and in imminent danger of serious harm or death. When the CRA is launched, the public will be notified via various media channels, including TV and radio, with broadcasts being interrupted on a regular basis, to ensure that as many people as possible are aware of the abduction and therefore able to help. The telephone number to call with information following an alert will be: 0300 2000 333. (NB: If you think your child has been abducted or if you think you have seen an abduction taking place before a CRA is launched, call 999 immediately).

 

For more information on the Child Rescue Alert, please visit www.npia.police.uk

 

Another way to help missing children right now is to visit http://shop.ebay.co.uk/pact_auction/m.html. This is an on-line auction of celebrity artwork organised by PACT (Parents and Abducted Children Together; www.pact-online.org) in support of missing children. You can bid now for creative 'balloon' artwork by Robert Pattinson, Sir Roger Moore, Sir Michael Caine and many more ' and at the same time help PACT continue their desperately important work on behalf of all missing children! (The auction closes later this week).

 

Finally, as another May comes to an end, we'd like to say another 'thank you' to everyone who has continued to support us in our search for Madeleine. We are so grateful for all the cards and letters full of kind words and encouragement, the donations to 'Madeleine's Fund', the beautiful flowers and also the birthday cards and gifts for Madeleine. Suffice to say, such support and kindness is invaluable and greatly appreciated.  

Thank you so much. 

Kate