This Blog post is going to be a little bit different,
This blog post is about one little girl she's only 5 years old, called April Jones.
I choose to write this blog to commend all those selfless volunteers that up'd the sticks and got out to look for April, This is the biggest abduction case in living memory, It's was the case that one small town in Wales will never forget for good and bad reasons, Meer hours after this small child was reported missing by her understandably distraught mother, every police officer from Ceredigion and Powys was drafted in to assist in the search for this little girl as well as the 200 volunteers that got out of bed and where out in the wet and the dark well into the small hours of the morning some only had a few hours sleep before returning in the daylight hours to continue searching for April Jones.
Also Mountain Rescue was then drafted in as they have the equipment and expertise to be able to negotiate the challenging terrain. These guys where nothing more than an inspiration how they worked tirelessly through there exhaustion to find this little girl!
By Tuesday the volunteers had almost doubled, by Tuesday evening the mountain rescue, police RNLI and RAF, welsh Ambulance service (very handy if any of the search party comes a cropper!) and police where preparing them selves for there night time search, looking in every nook and cranny even in caves. For any evidence that might give them some clue as to where this little one had gone.
By Wednesday the search was really looking ominous the police where pleading with the public who may have any vital information too Aprils whereabouts, the police had set up base in the local Leisure centre. Here was where they could get changed into dry clothes and receive fresh hot food waiting for them! This food is not the £ 3.50 sausage burger and the £2.10 cup of coffee you would have to pay in the cafe, this food was free to all those who was out there in the thick of it. food was being brought in from all over Wales England Scotland. some people in Midlands where getting up and 4am and filling there cars with food drinks and spare clothes and driving to Machynlleth. This for me as some one who doesn't live far from this incident was amazing to see. how the community came together almost as an instant reaction to April's mother plea to find her daughter,
While food was being brought in, the volunteers realised there was food there that was perishable if they weren't kept cool. So a request went out for a fridge, and before the hour was up along came three fridges. Then they realised they needed someone to fit them and before they knew it an electrician was there setting up the fridges so no food went to waste! Which is important when you have over 150 hungry people to feed. The morale amongst the professionals and volunteers remained strong and optimistic that they will find this little girl.
By Thursday most volunteer search teams (general public) had been stood down only those who knew the area or have specialist search skills, sniffer dogs and RAF and police helicopters had also been called in and where using heat detection equipment to see if they could detect the body heat of from her tiny self! But sadly this was to know avail and she remained missing!! I cannot imagine the distress this must be causing Aprils family, But never the less the search continues.
A special request from Aprils mother.
Despite there being no results of the whereabouts of April. The family are remaining optimistic as others may be feeling helpless and frustrated at this situation. Aprils mum had a request, for every one to wear a pink Ribbon as a mark of solidarity and to share the optimism that her little girl would be found safe and well and returned to her arms where this little one belongs.
So the Pink Ribbon mission was started and before long the whole town was pink. Every bus stop, street light, railings and shop window was some pink reminder that this little girl was still missing. people where out and about wearing the pink ribbon. But this was only a symbol that every one was united to one goal and that to find April Jones and bring her home but after seven days this was looking more and more desperate. parents in shops where extra vigilant watching there children in fear of someone snatching there child. One parent couldn't find her child in Morrisons and the whole store went on immediate lock down! he was only to be found perusing the sweet isle. But never the less to his mother this was a real fear that her child was missing!A pink Balloon will make you cry!
As requested by April's mum Coral. Hundreds of people descended to the florist party shop and where else that sold pink helium balloons. this must have come as a shock on a Monday morning as one florist reported to sold 800 balloons, at 7.30 on Monday the 8th of October hundreds of balloons and lanterns where released into the night sky to mark a week since this innocent little girl went missing.
Hundreds if not more came to the castle in Aberystwyth accompanied by April's godmother to release our Balloons and 7.29 a minute silence was called, I can tell you it was the quietest minute I have ever heard in my life even the small children went quiet. was very very moving. then the count down 3...2...1 for little April no one there could contain there tears and every one wept it was so sad, As we all knew at that point that the prospect of bring April home alive was looking very grim, as some had faced the reality of the whole situation. Others remained optimistic and carried on hoping for April! I really do admire those people, I just hope for closure one way of another for her family as I'm writing this we are going into 15 days since her abduction.
The rescue efforts of the professionals and the self sacrificing volunteers is completely unprecedented. Mountain rescue have clocked up 9,250 accumulative hours. To put this into context it would take one person working full time 5 years to work that many hours, this is an inspirational effort that hopefully we never have to see again. but defiantly never ever to be forgotten!
I would like to take time and dedicate this Blog post to all those people in uniform and those who were not to them! and I hope with all my heart that one day soon 5 year old April Jones is found!
April Jones Abducted 1 October 2012.
