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Celebrities back Twitter campaign to find missing children Celebrities back Twitter campaign to find missing children
(35 minutes later)
Stephen Fry and Simon Cowell are among the high-profile figures to have joined a charity Twitter campaign to help find missing children.Stephen Fry and Simon Cowell are among the high-profile figures to have joined a charity Twitter campaign to help find missing children.
The QI host and X Factor supremo reached out to their combined total of nearly 22 million followers in support of the charity Missing People. The organisation was carrying out a “Big Tweet” on Monday, which is International Missing Children’s Day.The QI host and X Factor supremo reached out to their combined total of nearly 22 million followers in support of the charity Missing People. The organisation was carrying out a “Big Tweet” on Monday, which is International Missing Children’s Day.
They were joined by Madeleine McCann’s mother, Kate, who said the campaign “harnesses social media for good”.They were joined by Madeleine McCann’s mother, Kate, who said the campaign “harnesses social media for good”.
The charity is tweeting a different appeal for a missing child every 30 minutes for 24 hours and is encouraging their followers to retweet as many as possible.The charity is tweeting a different appeal for a missing child every 30 minutes for 24 hours and is encouraging their followers to retweet as many as possible.
Aisha's been missing from #Wandsworth nearly 2 weeks http://t.co/tSk1KHkd1l #TheBigTweet pic.twitter.com/KyiemE73jBAisha's been missing from #Wandsworth nearly 2 weeks http://t.co/tSk1KHkd1l #TheBigTweet pic.twitter.com/KyiemE73jB
Cowell tweeted: “It’s that time of year again – missingpeople’s #TheBigTweet. Hopefully we can reunite more missing children with their families this year.”Cowell tweeted: “It’s that time of year again – missingpeople’s #TheBigTweet. Hopefully we can reunite more missing children with their families this year.”
Around 140,000 children go missing in the UK every year, the charity estimated, and its patron Fry urged users to help “reunite families going through the worst experience imaginable”.Around 140,000 children go missing in the UK every year, the charity estimated, and its patron Fry urged users to help “reunite families going through the worst experience imaginable”.
Every pair of eyes and ears makes a big difference to the search
He said: “It is a very simple concept and there is simply no excuse not to get involved.He said: “It is a very simple concept and there is simply no excuse not to get involved.
“By retweeting these appeals, we can all help extend the platform that might bring those children home. Circulating the details of these children through the social media site is such a simple, yet incredibly effective way to give the appeals as much coverage as possible.“By retweeting these appeals, we can all help extend the platform that might bring those children home. Circulating the details of these children through the social media site is such a simple, yet incredibly effective way to give the appeals as much coverage as possible.
“I was so impressed by how the world of Twitter responded last year – an incredible 58,000 retweets in one day. The result? Two missing children were found. Invaluable.”“I was so impressed by how the world of Twitter responded last year – an incredible 58,000 retweets in one day. The result? Two missing children were found. Invaluable.”
McCann, writing in the Sun, said: “Every pair of eyes and ears makes a big difference to the search.McCann, writing in the Sun, said: “Every pair of eyes and ears makes a big difference to the search.
Every pair of eyes and ears makes a big difference to the search
“You might be that someone who recognises one of the faces seen on Twitter as you pass them by in the street, or the supermarket, or the train station.”“You might be that someone who recognises one of the faces seen on Twitter as you pass them by in the street, or the supermarket, or the train station.”
The charity is using the Twitter handle missingpeople and the hashtag TheBigTweet until midnight on Monday.The charity is using the Twitter handle missingpeople and the hashtag TheBigTweet until midnight on Monday.