MN Bloggers - this Christmas - please help children who run away - and help raise money for Railway Children via your blog

[AnnMumsnet]

You may have seen on Mumsnet that we are working with Aviva and their charity partner Railway Children to try and get folks talking and thinking about the issue of children who run away. This Christmas and winter time this issue seems all the more important and we'd love you to help.

Did you know....
It's estimated that a child runs away from home or care every five minutes in the UK
In a recent survey, one in 11 teenagers aged 14 to 16 admitted to having run away overnight at some stage in their life
It's impossible to know the true scale of the problem: two-thirds of runaways aren't reported as missing to the police, and many are too vulnerable or scared to seek official help
It?s estimated 2000 children will run away over Christmas

We know this is every parent?s big nightmare and that it can happen to anyone ? it's nothing to do with family economics or where people live.
There's lots of info on Railway Children and the work they do here: www.mumsnet.com/runningaway

How can you help?

We're now looking for as many bloggers as possible to blog about children running away - it can be any aspect of this - you can take copy from the pages linked to above or write your own thoughts and experiences (please do include the link above in your blog post). We'd love to hear how (if you are a parent) you feel about this topic as a parent.

Why should you help?
For each blog post from a MN blogger Aviva will donate £2 to Railway Children. And if you have comments on your blog post they will donate another £2 for each comment and also for any tweets you send, or mention on Facebook. Aviva will donate up to £200,000 by the end of 2013 as part of the campaign ? so get writing now (please!)

We will try and feature as many blogs as we can on the MN widget (which sits on c200 blogs across the network: email [email protected] if you don't yet have it but would like it on your blog).

Following this activity there will be an opportunity for some bloggers, who are interested and available to learn more about Railway Children. Future activities are to be confirmed, but involve attending a charity function with a high profile supporter, taking part in a project visit with the team from Railway Children, visit the Houses of Parliament to meet with senior RC staff and of course to blog again about this topic. These will be open to specially selected bloggers who take part in this first activity. If you have personal experience of a child who has run away and would like to be involved in future activity please get in touch with us (even if you are unable to blog about this now) If you are selected for this we will be in touch.

If you'd like to take part then you are welcome to do so - it's open to all.
If you do take part in any way please post a link to your blog post on this thread and send us a screengrab of the tweet or facebook mention (pm me for my email address). Links will be shared with the team at Railway Children and Aviva.

Please note that your blog posts may also be featured on the Railway Children pages on Mumsnet or linked to from Railway Children pages directly.

Any questions please ask.
Ideally we're looking for blog posts to be in within the next 2 weeks, please post your links and thoughts below. We look forward to seeing your blog posts.

The twitter handle for Railway Children is @RailwayChildren and please use #runningaway

thanks and Happy Christmas
AnnMumsnet

[nailak]

hmm muslimahdirections.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/running-away/

if i email you the fb and twitter links do they donate more to the charities?

[AnnMumsnet]

Hi nailak - thanks! Yes they will. I will pm you my address.

[Johnatdadbloguk]

Hi there, just a quick message to say i've written a post about running away and the Railway Children. Here's the link;
dadbloguk.com/2012/12/22/184/

Best of luck with the campaign!

[TeeElfOnTeeShelf]

I've emailed you Anne.

Here's my blog post at Tee's Blog

[Johnatdadbloguk]

Doh, here's that link again...

dadbloguk.com/2012/12/22/184/

[borninastorm]

Hi
I've emailed you the link to my blog where I've talked a little bit about children running away and Railway Children but here it is again,
I've never been so glad to have my teenagers home for Christmas this year

[Craftsonsea]

Done mine! Its over here DH runs a homeless centre and I wouldn't wish rough sleeping on anyone! Tweeting quite a bit and popped it on fb, Anne can you pm me about sending the links please? Ta!

[AnnMumsnet]

thanks crafts - have pm-ed you

[Luce808]

Is there a time limit on doing this? I want to write a post but just haven't had a chance yet.

[AnnMumsnet]

hi luce808 - sort of by the weekend if you can - if it's later it'll be ok though.

thanks

[Luce808]

Thanks, will do my best!

[AnnMumsnet]

thanks for all the blog posts here and via email - still time if you'd like to take part - every little helps

thanks

[Alreethinny]

Hope I'm still in time, festive season and lurgy on a family loop, have played havoc with my blogging.

Here is my post Night, night, sleep tight

My daughter ran away once, I wanted to take part and highlight it can happen to any family.

I shall begin tweeting this evening if it will still help.

[Landlsmum]

Hello,

Superb cause - here's the link to my blog on the subject:

landlsworkingmum.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/thinking-about-the-unthinkable-a-child-runs-away-from-home-or-care-every-five-minutes-in-the-uk/

Anne - please may I have your address to send the Facebook and Twitter screengrabs? Thank you.

[ParsleyTheLioness]

How desperate must a child feel

[Luce808]

Finally, here's my blog on the subject: No break in the sun: supporting child runaways

[Luce808]

Ann, how does the money get donated? Does someone tell Aviva how many comments are posted, or do we need to notify you, or...? I've already had two comments within an hour of posting.

[AnnMumsnet]

hi - thanks for all the blog posts yesterday!
Yes Luce someone (ie me and my colleague Janine) collate all the comments etc and we report back to Aviva with links and screengrabs etc. thanks

[Luce808]

Brilliant brilliant. I'm getting a steady stream, and everyone's so supportive of the cause.