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May 23^rd saw the Forever Searching team arriving in Leicester, UK, for the first formal event for International Missing Children’s Day. We spent the afternoon and evening hanging posters of the UK missing on lamp posts and banners through the City, in preparation for the March for the Missing the following day.

Sunday 24^th saw a beautiful day dawn, the weather was kind to us indeed. As we all gathered in Victoria Park, the feeling of unity, hope and love was almost tangible. We started a very purposeful walk through the City, with banners of the missing held high. The march finished at Town Hall Square, where we were received and warmly welcomed by the Right Worshipful, The Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Roger Blackmore. Warren Durbin, grandfather of missing Luke Durbin, and Joe Chisholm, father of missing Sigourney Chisholm, read out the names of some of those missing in the UK, it was extremely moving and very poignant.

We commenced our walk, stopping on the way to sell our forget-me-not wristbands, badges and ribbons. Our balloons were then released into the sky. It was a very moving occasion.

The evening of Sunday 24^th saw everyone turned out in their fine clothes to a dinner at Leicester City’s Walker Stadium. The evening was MC’d by Joe Chisholm. The Right Worshipful, The Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Roger Blackmore greeted everyone and preceded dinner with Grace. We were honoured to hear from Miranda Rouse of the NPIA and Denise Carter of Reunite. Nicky Durbin, mother of missing Luke Durbin, also said a few words and went on to read a letter from Valerie Nettles, mother of missing Damien Nettles. Val had tried hard to join us for the events from the USA but could not, so it was lovely to feel her there so closely in spirit. We were then treated to outstanding performances from Tara London, www.taralondonmusic.co.uk and Cute Loony, www.myspace.com/cuteloony.

The event was also photographed for us by Andy Thomas and his team from Leicester Events Photography. Click HERE to view the pictures, select Galleries and then Forever Searching.

It was a special evening, filled with poignant moments as a reminder as to why we were all there, however, video footage not yet released onto You Tube shows the kicking of heels to New York New York.

The special service of prayers for the missing a Leicester Cathedral on the morning of May 25^th, International Missing Children’s Day, was truly special, with a poem read by Denise Allan, mother of missing Charles Horvath-Allan, a speech by Norman Cook, Father of missing Steven Cook, a narrative by Kevin Gosden, Father of missing Andrew Gosden, as well as prayers led by John Wearne and a song by Robert Robinson. There was a candle lighting ceremony during the course of the service.

This was a first time event in the UK and for Forever Searching, so we were apprehensive as to how it would all turn out. Our overall observations, and the feedback we have had, showed it to be an important series of events that struck a delicate balance of remembrance, hope, love and unity, but above all, brought family’s together who are in similar situations, to both cry with and share happy memories with. It was about never giving up hope whatever the odds, and knowing and feeling love and support from the community. Would we do it again? Absolutely, put May 22^nd and 23^rd 2010 into your diaries.

Above all of this, we had some very important media coverage, that showed the faces of some of the missing on national television, newspapers, and also got some personal interviews with some of our parents, in some instances, of older cases that have had no press coverage for some time. This has resulted in further interest, and in some cases, some new leads coming in. We could not have asked for anything more to come out of such an important day.

Click the link below to watch a video of some of the highlights of the walk;

The evening of May 24th we assembled at the Walker Football Stadium for our Gala Dinner.

Click the link below to watch a video of some of the highlights of the Gala Dinner.

Ride For Daniel

AUSTRALIA’S PREMIER MOTORCYLE CHILD SAFETY AWARENESS EVENT - 21 JUNE 2009

Join thousands of biking enthusiasts from all walks of life across Australia as they unite together to honour Daniel Morcombe and raise the level of awareness for child safety and protection.

Ride participation costs just $10 with all funds raised on the day going toward educating children and the general public about Personal Safety through the work of the Daniel Morcombe Foundation

Journey through the scenic hinterland areas of the Sunshine Coast then join in the camaraderie at one of Australia’s greatest icons, the Ettamogah Pub.

The ride is approximately 50KM long. The ride will be segmented into manageable groups to allow for occasional breaks in traffic minimising disruption for other road users.

Registration from 7am. Ride departs at 10am from THE BIG PINEAPPLE carpark (southern side) followed by the camaraderie at the ETTAMOGAH PUB

RIDE CONDITIONS;

Bikes must be registered, road worthy and carry 3^rd party insurance.
Riders must wear an Approved Australian standard Helmet.
Outlaw Motorcycle Club members are welcome to participate but must not wear club colours.
All Bikers must observe directions and instruction by authorised Marshall’s, Traffic Control Officers and Police.

SPECTATORS WELCOME! Wave a flag and cheer on over 20km of chrome and leather

SPECTATOR VIEWING POINT:

Nambour Connection Road, Woombye
Lamington Tce, Nambour
Currie Street, Nambour
Coronation Avenue, Nambour
Nambour Connection Road Kulangoor
Fleming Street, Yandina
Ginger Factory, Yandina
Pioneer Road, Yandina
Frizzo Road, Palmview
Aussie World, Palmview

Daniel Morcombe was 13 when he vanished from Palmwoods, on the Sunshine Coast hinterland north of Brisbane, on the afternoon of December 7^th 2003. He had planned to catch a bus on Nambour Connection Road to go shopping at Maroochydore and has not been seen since.

Since his abduction, Daniel’s parents, Bruce and Denise Morcombe, have worked day and night to help promote awareness of Daniels case. They have also launched a national safety program for schoolchildren under the umbrella of the Daniel Morcombe Foundation.

Please support this event which is the 5^th of its kind. Please visit http://www.danielmorcombe.com.au/ for more information about this fantastic event and to read about the fantastic work that is carried out by the Foundation.

Sigourney was abducted by her mother, Patricia O’Bryne, on May 17^th 2003, from Toronto, Canada. Joe Chisholm, Sigourney’s dad, has been searching for her ever since. Joe has become a strong advocate for missing children and their rights and through the course of Forever Searching helping him, he in turn, has helped us. Joe came over from Canada to the UK to help work with us on the International Missing Children’s Day events. This resulted in some publicity on Sigourney’s case, which we hope, will bring some answers to Joe and his family.

As a result of this publicity, further interest has been shown by the BBC South East, and we are also hopeful for some other avenues coming to fruition. It may well lead Joe to be in the UK once more in the next few weeks and in particular, Tonbridge, Kent, where Patricia O’Byrne was last sighted. As we have a member on the ground in this area, as soon as this is confirmed, we will go about setting up a minor event in Tonbridge, probably the weekend of the 4^th July, which will consist of a music festival, to help raise awareness, not only to Sigourney who was last known to be in this area but to all our UK missing.

We will send out an extraordinary newsletter once this is all confirmed, but also ask you, is this something you could help with in your local area? Are you able to get access to a venue, school ground, town park, rugby or football hall, do you know any local bands, or know high school kids who know local amateur bands? If you do, please write to us at events@foreversearching.com and we’ll see about putting on an event in your area.

Forever Searching have entered a team into the British 10k which takes place on July 12th in London. http://www.thebritish10klondon.co.uk

We are looking for a team of supporters there to carry placards of our missing, banners, etc. Please let us know if you would be able to be in London to watch the race and raise awareness to our missing.

High-profile defence lawyer Guy Bertrand wants to help find Cedrika Provencher.

The Trois-Rivières girl was nine when she disappeared on July 31, 2007. Quebec provincial police have had little in the way of leads since her mysterious disappearance.

Acting independently of the police, Bertrand said $170,000 that has been donated to help find Cedrika will be offered to anyone who comes forward with information on the girl's whereabouts. And he vowed that anyone who provides him with information will not be handed over to authorities.

An earlier $100,000 reward offered by police for information about the girl did not yield any information. The girl's father, Martin Provencher, has given the plan his full support, saying it doesn't matter whether her abductor profits financially, as long as Cedrika is found in the end.