How Your Vote for Missing People can help Reconnect Missing People With Their Loved Ones

Looking for a good deed to do this spooky season? How about helping a fantastic UK charity to win a donation of 20% of our profits?! In the My Favourite Voucher Codes October charity poll, you have a choice for four charities to vote for and help win this months donation. One of these charities is Missing People, a charity that helps reconnect missing people and their families. Find out all about this worthy cause below and how your vote can help. 

In our charity poll this October, you can vote for the incredible charity Missing People; a charity dedicated to finding missing people, reconnecting them with their loved ones and supporting people affected by a disappearance. They are the only charity in the UK who strive to find missing people, provide support to them and their loved ones, and reconnect missing people to their friends and family.  

Who Are Missing People and What Do They Do?

Missing People help anyone affected by someone going missing, whether it is the person themselves who is thinking of coming home and looking for guidance on how to reconnect, or the family searching for their loved one. 

Every 90 seconds in the UK someone is reported missing, meaning that there are 170,000 missing people reported every year. Of the 170,000 missing people, almost 98,000 are adults and over 70,000 are children, many of whom are vulnerable to a number of risks whilst being away from home. There are several reasons why children and adults go missing, including abuse at home, breakdown of a relationship, mental health problems and sexual exploitation, which is why Missing People provide support to those thinking of leaving home as well as those who have recently returned home. 

The effect of a missing person on their loved ones can also be devastating, from the terrifying moment the loved one is reported missing to the struggle to maintain hope when a loved one is missing for a long time. Whether it’s support through the process of reporting a person missing, launching an appeal or help keeping a long term search going, Missing People act as a lifeline and source of hope for the families and friends of people who have gone missing.

Who Do Missing People Help?

They provide support and guidance for anyone connected to someone who is missing, anyone who is currently away from home themselves and anyone who is thinking of running away. 

For the missing person: They offer useful guidance for people who are currently anxious about reconnecting with their families or loved ones. This includes advice on how to reconnect with friends and family, what your rights are as a missing person, how to stay safe whilst away and what the police procedure is for missing people. These guides offer invaluable support to missing people, encouraging them to reconnect with loved ones and get the help they need to be able to stay safe. 

For the loved ones: Missing People offer support and guidance for the loved ones of people who have gone missing, no matter how long they have been missing for. These support services include practical advice on reporting a missing person, talking to the police and launching public appeals as well as mental health support such as counselling and bereavement services. 

For people thinking of going missing: As well as offering support to those related to a missing person, and the missing person themselves, They provide guidance for people thinking of running away to help prevent future missing person cases and keep missing people safe. They have helped many previously missing people throughout their time, and have gained insight into the reasons that people might choose to leave home. Through sharing these people’s journeys, this charity tries to connect with people thinking of going missing and to offer them alternative ways of coping with their situation such as support services, as well as helping to ensure they are safe if they do decide to leave. 

What Services do Missing People Provide?

Missing People never stop caring and offering help to anyone who needs it. They offer a range of help services including: 

• Missing person appeals: They have profiles of hundreds of missing people all over the UK, with photos, information and the ‘report a sighting’ tool.
   
• Online Chat: Whether you need to report someone missing, want advice on coming home or are struggling with the stress of a loved one going missing, their team is on hand to help.
   
• Helpline: Their helpline is also available on 116 000 for anyone thinking of going missing or leaving home, as well as friends and families who are worried about someone. They will provide free, confidential advice 7 days a week. There is also a Runaway Helpline specifically for young people who are thinking of running away from home.
   
• Family Support: For over 25 years this incredible charity has been helping the friends and families of missing people. With a counselling service, community support and a dedicated family support team, the loved ones of missing people can find the help they need. They offer both emotional and practical support when families need it most.
   
• Specialist Support: Their services also cover specific circumstances such as gang exploitation and a dedicated helpline for runaways.
   
• Publicity: Reaching as many people as possible who might have seen a missing person is key when someone goes missing, but many loved ones do not have the knowledge or resources to launch a public appeal. Missing People provide practical help for increasing publicity including creating private briefings, launching an urgent appeal, creating public posters and contacting media partners. 
   
• Lost Contact Tracing: For those who have lost contact with a loved one over time, Missing People may be able to help them reconnect with them. 
   
• Search Dog Heroes: Some people are more likely to go missing such as those living with dementia, learning difficulties or mental health issues. The Search Dog Heroes project educates families and loved ones on how to prevent and prepare for disappearances through their scent tool kit. This will help scent dogs to track a missing person more easily and make finding that person a lot easier. 

How Can I Support Missing People?

This October, you can support them for free by voting for Missing People in our charity poll. You can find this on the right hand side of this page, or the bottom of this page on mobile. 

You can also give a donation, fundraise for them or volunteer to help those affected by someone going missing, or visit their online shop.

How Can I Get in Touch with Missing People?

You can call their free, confidential hotline on 116 000 if you need support. You can also email them at 116000@missingpeople.org.uk or use their online Contact Form. 

How Will a Donation Help Missing People? 

If Missing People win the donation this October, then it will help to fund their ongoing support of missing people and their loved ones. Missing person appeals can be very costly, from printing posters to launching online campaigns, but this donation will mean that they can continue to provide resources, emotional support and practical help for those looking for a missing person.

So, do Missing People have your vote? If so, visit our Homepage to cast your vote for this worthy cause. Share this article on social media, tag your friends, talk to your family about it and you can help this charity win a fab donation - without spending a penny! In fact, you can save money with our voucher codes, and every voucher code you use adds to the amount raised for the winning charity. Vote today to help missing people be reunited with their loved ones.