Themissinglist’s Weblog

Gareth Barry and Det Sup Phil Owen

Manchester City Football Club is proud to announce the launch of a new partnership with the Greater Manchester Police Missing from Home Unit.

The initiative, launched today by City midfielder Gareth Barry and Detective Superintendent Phil Owen of Greater Manchester Police, aims to highlight some of the thousands of cases of people who go missing from the Greater Manchester region every year.

The campaign will begin at the home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday 22nd August.

The campaign’s focus will be on the Club’s home match days, with images and information on a number of long-term missing persons being displayed on the big screens at the City of Manchester Stadium. This information will be replicated in the match day programme and links to the GMP’s website will run on the Stadium’s pitch perimeter LED boards.

The details will also appear in the Club’s City Magazine and via the official website, www.mcfc.co.uk

Every match day the campaign will also highlight at least one missing person case from the police force of the team’s opponents for the day.

Speaking at today’s launch at the Club’s Carrington Training Centre, Gareth Barry said:

“Manchester City’s standing in its local community was apparent from the moment I first arrived at the Club and this campaign only serves to show the strength of the Club’s commitment to the people of Manchester.

“We hope that this campaign will assist Greater Manchester Police in their excellent work in this area and will demonstrate to the family and friends of those who are missing that their loved ones are not forgotten.”

Detective Superintendent Phil Owen added:

” The partnership between Manchester City and Greater Manchester Police will provide an excellent opportunity to generate additional publicity and reach an audience that we wouldn’t normally have access to.

“It will help to highlight the plight of missing people and also their families and friends.

“We cannot thank the Club enough for their support, and we hope that working together will help us to trace a number of these vulnerable individuals.”

Also present at today’s launch was Kimberley Pierce, the aunt of 17 year old Jordan Radcliffe from Moston who had been missing for almost a year.

Jordan was last seen when his aunt dropped him off in Manchester city centre at the end of August 2008 and he has not been in contact with his family since.

Jordan’s disappearance will be one of those highlighted at this week’s game. Speaking of the Club’s partnership with GMP, Ms Pierce said:

“Since Jordan went missing the whole family has been so worried.

“We just want him to know that he is not in trouble and nobody is angry with him. We simply want him to get in touch to let us know if he is well and happy.”

Full details on those currently reported as missing from the Greater Manchester region can be found at the GMP website, www.gmp.police.uk

Any person with information about a missing person which may be of help to the police should call GMP’s Missing from Home Unit on 0161 872 5050, quoting the relevant MP Ref number.