Missing but not forgotten

It is now four years since Royal Mail Group partnered with Missing People, the only charity in the UK which is dedicated to bringing missing children and adults back together with their families.

Our partnership initially came about due to an idea from postman and CWU rep, Vincent Micallef, who approached the business with an idea to use the PDAs to receive high-risk Missing People alerts.

Since November 2014, we have sent out 196 high-risk Missing People alerts to colleagues all around the UK. 146 of these people have been found safe and well. Sadly, 40 were found deceased and seven remain missing.

Missing People, the National Crime Agency and UK police forces have all expressed their thanks for the work that Royal Mail does to help find missing people and to hopefully reunite them with their loved ones.

Missing People CEO, Jo Youle, 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.’

Our partnership has won numerous awards and been recognised in local and national media.

One of our own

One of the seven people still missing from the alerts we have sent out is postman and former colleague, Carl Hodges, who has sadly been missing since 3 February 2016. Carl went missing from Northwood, Middlesex.

It goes without saying that Carl’s family are missing him terribly and would love to know that he is safe and well. His father Eddie sent the following message directly to us:

‘My son Carl has been missing for a long period now. He is deeply missed by myself and his mother, wife and child and other friends, family and colleagues. Not knowing how Carl is or where he is leaves you feeling empty and helpless. We all want to know Carl is safe and well and that he knows he is deeply loved by his family. The best Christmas present we could all have is to know that he is okay.’

How can you help?

Please keep looking for Carl while out on your delivery or collection. If you think you have seen him, or know where he is or you have any information that could help the charity and the police reunite Carl with his family, please call or text the free and confidential 24 hour helpline 116 000, which is open 365 days a year.

Click here for a more detailed description and picture of Carl, along with the rest of our current Missing People alerts.