Help with the search for Madeleine McCann

[flyingfairy]

DO YOU WANT TO HELP IN THE SEARCH FOR MADELEINE AND OTHER CHILDREN?

Our group is not a discussion group - there are lots of forum's on the internet where you can discuss the rights and wrongs of what happened on 3 May 2007. Our group is an action group, therefore if you feel the same way as we do, and would like to help in however way - large or small - please get in touch to [email protected] - (stating where you saw this message).

During our campaigning throughout mainland Europe and the rest of the World, we also highlight cases of other abducted children in countries such as
Spain, Italy, France, Turkey (to name a few). If by highlighting Madeleine's abduction, we make contact with other people whose children have been abducted, and who do not have resources available to highlight their plight, we hope to provide support and assistance.

As at Monday 23 July 2007, Madeleine has been missing from her family for over 81 days, and if we stop now, sit and do nothing then we achieve NOTHING. Your help may be just what Madeleine, and other children need right now. So if you want to do SOMETHING, then please join us and assist the search.

WHAT WOULD I HAVE TO DO?
Each person who joins up is assigned to a group either working on ideas or countries. The type of things we are doing includes direct emailing to specific businesses and industries to raise awareness and asking for help by either putting up the poster, or seeking support to our fund raising efforts.

The Madeleine McCann campaign has chosen not to specifically endorse any particular groups, however our founding member is in direct contact with the Spokesperson for the campaign.

If you do not share the view that help is still needed, then do not post here on this thread. Thats the point. Flyingfairy was looking to recruit help not to look for unwanted or unhelpful comments

I know I'm digressing, but I really do love the image conjured up by Haychee's "viscous threads". I have visions of the mumsnet site as a sort of glow-worm cave, full of sticky threads designed to trap the unwary.

[here's a picture of a glow worm cave in case you're interested images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=bamjam.net/NewZealand/images/waitomo01.jpg&imgrefurl =bamjam.net/NewZealand/Waitomo.html&h=275&w=320&sz=13&hl=en&start=80&tbnid=Bh03d_9gku9f5M:&tb nh=101&tbnw=118&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dglowworm%26start%3D80%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3De n%26sa%3DN.

I think there's a lot to be said for waiting 2 minutes before posting anything that's likely to be hurtful to someone else without adding a great deal to the debate at hand. But at the end of the day - it's a chat forum and people are bound to just chat as they would in RL. Don't think that there's a solution really.

No there is no solution unfortunately. But it is reassurring to find that alot of people do not like the bitchyness and mocking that goes on here sometimes. Its not nice, fair or acceptable. This thread was a prime example of how one person who is trying their hardest to do some good is slaughtered by some for doing just that.

I started here on MN with some outspoken views. I was ridiculed, mocked and turned into a laughing stock just because my opinion is different.

wannabe - just because you (and others) feel strongly that a bigger case should be made for other missing children, it does not make a campaign to find MM innappropriate. Her parents and their supporters have chosen to go at this with all they've got because they are desperate to find her. Surely this doesn't need justifying. Other people have got involved (or 'jumped on the bandwagon' as some have suggested) because of the enormity of the initial campaign.

I just think that if people feel strongly about the plight of the many others who have gone missing, then they should channel that energy positively into a campaign of their own, instead of telling other people what they shouldn't be doing.

And this time I really am bowing out

Haychee - I've only been lurking on here for a week or so, and I'd characterise it as a bit of a virtual community. There are various "groups" of people who share common views, kind of "know" each other and end up on the same threads, chatting. Also I think a lot of the regulars have seen a lot of threads come and go and have a good "feel" for where things are going to end up - I think that's where St G was coming from in the early stages of this thread - they generally display a degree of cynicsm which can come across as unfriendly / unhelpful if you're new to the board. I can't see that changing. It seems to me that there is some vitriol - but not that much - and you start to get a feel for which threads to avoid if you're not in the mood to get sucked into a lengthy debate....

DO YOU WANT TO HELP IN THE SEARCH FOR MISSING CHILDREN?

Our group is not a discussion group - there are lots of forum's on the internet where you can discuss the rights and wrongs of what happened on 3 May 2007. Our group is an action group, therefore if you feel the same way as we do, and would like to help in however way - large or small - please get in touch to [email protected] - (stating where you saw this message).

During our campaigning throughout mainland Europe and the rest of the World, we also highlight cases of other abducted children in countries such as
Spain, Italy, France, Turkey (to name a few). If by highlighting Madeleine's abduction, we make contact with other people whose children have been abducted, and who do not have resources available to highlight their plight, we hope to provide support and assistance.

As at Monday 23 July 2007, Madeleine has been missing from her family for over 81 days, and if we stop now, sit and do nothing then we achieve NOTHING. Your help may be just what Madeleine, and other children need right now. So if you want to do SOMETHING, then please join us and assist the search.

WHAT WOULD I HAVE TO DO?
Each person who joins up is assigned to a group either working on ideas or countries. The type of things we are doing includes direct emailing to specific businesses and industries to raise awareness and asking for help by either putting up the poster, or seeking support to our fund raising efforts.

The Madeleine McCann campaign has chosen not to specifically endorse any particular groups, however our founding member is in direct contact with the Spokesperson for the campaign.

My support to flyingfairy, haychee and the other supportive posters.

And to those who say that the poster campaign is damaging - you should read Gerry McCann's blog from yesterday:

Spent most of the day travelling getting back to Portugal late afternoon. It was great to be back with Kate and the kids after the short visit to Washington. It was also great to see so many pictures from the 50th day balloon launch on the website.

A lot of people have been asking what can they do to maintain the search for Madeleine. The advice we have had consistently from the beginning, and very much re-emphasised by the experience of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is to maintain a high profile for the missing child. This can be achieved by relatively simple measures such as displaying posters in prominent public places. We ask people to continue downloading posters from the website and display them at bus stations, train stations and of course take them on holiday. Kate and I would like to thank everyone who desperately wants us to be reunited with Madeleine and have helped in this regard.

The McCanns are intelligent people and aren't just blindly acting in this campaign - they are taking expert advise and acting on that.

The negative (and sometimes vicious and spiteful) people on this forum are clearly not the experts.

so can we now expect every pressure group tp start a thread on mumsnet? This sort of appeal belongs in a specific section - not in the IN THE NEWS section - madeleine ( oh and the 'other missing children' ff is ocncerned about are not in the news anymore - move to a charity appeal section and don't clog up this one!

Madeleine is in the news - one way or another - almost every day. So this seems a completely appropriate place to post. Thats a bit of a change in the general tone though - before it was why is she in the news and the others aren't....

Someone told me that they thought my DD looked like Madeleine yesterday, she doesnt, at all. Well she may do in as much as she has two arms two legs and blue eyes and thats that. I actually noticed this woman trying to look in DDs eyes after having engaged me in conversation about my dog. FFS!!!!! I wasnt funny with the lady, i just said, yes, very sad, what can you do and left. No doubt the poor old dear felt she was doing her bit - weird.

I do not think the mass media hysteria whipped up by this case will help to find her. I do think however that if it does raise the profile of missing children all over the world that has to be a good thing. I do not think however, and i hesitated to post because of this, that it should be a topic of coffee time discussion, in the vein of, oooh isnt it awful....bla bla bla.

lucyellensmum - I agree its not a topic for sensationalising (is that a word and if so have I spelt it right..?) but what I am seeing more and more is people with a extremely negative view posting all over the place. What I want to see is a clear message to the media and the family that there are more people who are supportive than not - its just the non supportive folk seem to be more visible (probably because people are supportive but don't wish to sensationalise.)

The OP of this thread is part of an action group not a chat forum - they have direct links into the main campaign and were just looking for more support.

It's nice to see other Mumsnetters posting and in a gentler way.

I came back from Portugal yesterday. I saw two posters for Madeleine whilst there - both at the airport.

The investigation has clearly been toned down, save for a 'witness' calling the 'chief suspect' names, there has been no progress and no developments.

I totally empathise with the Mccanns need to keep this high profile.

I dont think e-mailing businesses is the way to go as they clearly have ample financial support to continue their campaign for the timebeing.

I dont think gerry mccann going to washington will help find Madeleine. I feel his time would be better spent with his children.

I feel that parental guilt is driving their actions.

binklehasflipped - i think your post is totally out of order, i would have thought desperation is what is motivating the McCAnns to do anything they can to find their daughter.

This is exactly the sort of discussion that infuriates me and now im adding to it but but i feel i need to say this.

Message withdrawn

So do I.I understand they are desperate but all teh things they are doing are pointless wrt to locating her.It is a mega pr exercise but for who and what?Not one ounce of this campaign/effort has contributed to findinfg other missing children which must gall anyone else in a similar situation.

I dont disagree with you that it is desperation also.

Well Noddy and iCod - you are at least consistent in your views.

Parental guilt...?? Of course that would be the over whelming emotion wouldn't it !!? Not complete and utter terror about where your child was and with whom, or a desperate need to do anything to find her regardless of who hurled mud at you for doing it.

I'm off - had my say, know my view and know I will never look back and feel ashamed of myself. Not sure some of the other posters can say the same.

yes. parental guilt. I dont know one parent who wouldnt be thinking

"what could I have done to stop this happening?"

"what can I do to put this right?"

Parental guilt is the most natural emotion in the world. it's not always rational, but it's entirely natural.

Just one more thing though -

Why do people keep banging on about nothing being done for other misssing children as though that is a valid reason for doing nothing now??

Surely we need to change the not doing anything - not slate the McCanns for doing something constructive.

But I've said this before and was ignored so hey ho.

bla bla bla de bla, lets not drag this all up again. There but for the grace of god, go us ALL.

indeed

"I totally empathise with the Mccanns need to keep this high profile" Yup so do I but the op and the repeat post later are not actually part of their coordinated publicity campaign. "The Madeleine McCann campaign has chosen not to specifically endorse any particular groups, however our founding member is in direct contact with the Spokesperson for the campaign."

yes that's right.

DO YOU WANT TO HELP IN THE SEARCH FOR MISSING CHILDREN?

Our group is not a discussion group - there are lots of forum's on the internet where you can discuss the rights and wrongs of what happened on 3 May 2007. Our group is an action group, therefore if you feel the same way as we do, and would like to help in however way - large or small - please get in touch to [email protected] - (stating where you saw this message).

During our campaigning throughout mainland Europe and the rest of the World, we also highlight cases of other abducted children in countries such as
Spain, Italy, France, Turkey (to name a few). If by highlighting Madeleine's abduction, we make contact with other people whose children have been abducted, and who do not have resources available to highlight their plight, we hope to provide support and assistance.

As at Monday 23 July 2007, Madeleine has been missing from her family for over 81 days, and if we stop now, sit and do nothing then we achieve NOTHING. Your help may be just what Madeleine, and other children need right now. So if you want to do SOMETHING, then please join us and assist the search.

WHAT WOULD I HAVE TO DO?
Each person who joins up is assigned to a group either working on ideas or countries. The type of things we are doing includes direct emailing to specific businesses and industries to raise awareness and asking for help by either putting up the poster, or seeking support to our fund raising efforts.

The Madeleine McCann campaign has chosen not to specifically endorse any particular groups, however our founding member is in direct contact with the Spokesperson for the campaign.

You only need post it once surely