The Mirror launched its ‘Missed’ campaign last Sunday (Mother’s Day), highlighting the forgotten, unsolved or underreported cases of missing people across the UK.
With more than 170,000 people going missing each year in the UK, the Mirror is using its platform to shine a light on public-facing missing persons in the UK via a live interactive map, in collaboration with the Missing People Charity.
The map will serve as a resource to ensure there is visibility of the diverse scale of missing people in the UK. Readers will be able to click on any region/city/town to see cases, brief descriptions and photos of the missing people.
Furthermore, the Mirror will use its social media platforms, website, newspaper and newsletters to humanise and amplify a diverse range of overlooked missing people case studies, focusing on the missing person’s personality and life to make the reader more conscious of who they are as individuals, rather than a statistic.
The aim is to help spread awareness and bring at least one person home or to safety in 2025, through covering the human stories of missing people and also ask why people go missing, unpacking whether the system is broken and what should be done to fix it.
The Mirror and Missing People will also be launching a joint petition, asking for the publication of a new missing children and adults strategy to ensure police, health and social care play their part, investment in prevention for those at most risk of going missing and improvement in support to every missing child and adult on their return.
Mirror editor-in-chief Caroline Waterston said: “In collaboration with Missing People, our mission is to bring awareness to EVERY publicly listed missing person in the UK through the live, interactive map created by our brilliant data team, while also shining a spotlight on cases that have been ‘missed’ or underreported. We hope that through this work, we can bring someone home this year to their loved ones.
“At the Mirror, we are passionate about enacting real change and my thanks goes to Lynda Moyo, our Head of Emerging Content Editor, who has driven this forward so passionately. Every day, we’ll be sharing these stories and working to bring people home or to safety. Ultimately every missing person, no matter their background or life choices, is someone’s son, daughter, mother, father, sister, brother, partner, friend and they are always missed.”
Ross Miller, Director of Fundraising and Communications for Missing People, said: “We are incredibly grateful to The Mirror for recognising that going missing is a crisis that can affect anyone. This powerful collaboration is not only raising vital awareness of the thousands of people who go missing each year, but it is also ensuring that families searching for answers feel seen, heard, and supported.
“By amplifying appeals, driving change through petitions, and helping us raise essential funds, The Mirror is making a real difference in the lives of those affected by disappearance. Together, we are bringing hope to families and working towards a future where fewer people face this devastating experience.”
Nerissa Tivy – Mum of missing Alexander Sloley, said: “As a mum, I know just how unbearable it is to have a loved one go missing. That’s why the partnership with The Mirror and Missing People means so much to us. They help us share the stories of our missing loved ones with compassion and care, giving families like mine hope and making sure those who are missing are never forgotten. It’s about more than headlines – it’s about helping families when they need it most.”
Lynda Moyo, centre, with the mothers involved in the campaign.
