New project will see postmen alerted over missing vulnerable

By The Press Association13th November 2014News EnglandNews England, Vulnerable Adults

Postal workers are to help a charity find vulnerable missing children and adults in a new partnership aimed at reuniting families.

Royal Mail is joining forces with Missing People by distributing alerts to its 124,000 postmen and women across the UK, giving information on missing people.

Descriptions and photographs will be made available via hand-held scanners and the Royal Mail’s employee website, as well as so-called child rescue alerts.

Sue Whalley, chief operations officer at Royal Mail, said: “Royal Mail’s postmen and women are out in the community six days a week, across the country. We are all very aware of the trauma experienced by the families and communities of missing people, particularly children.

“We want to use our unique position to support this important service and perhaps help to reunite families with their missing loved ones.”

Jo Youle, chief executive of Missing People, said: “When someone goes missing and is at risk, every minute after a disappearance is crucial to bringing them home safely. Our partnership with Royal Mail is a truly inspired way to spread an alert quickly and to the very people who are the eyes and ears of their local communities.”

Around 250,000 people go missing every year, two thirds under the age of 18.