The Daily Mirror

Missed

2025

The Mirror launched its powerful new campaign, Missed, in partnership with the charity Missing People. The campaign aims to shine a light on the thousands of missing individuals across the UK whose cases remain unsolved, underreported, or overlooked.

With more than 170,000 people going missing in the UK each year, The Mirror used its national platform to ensure that every missing person is seen, heard, and remembered. At the heart of the campaign was a live, interactive map – developed by The Mirror’s data team – which allows readers to explore missing persons cases by region, city or town. Each entry includes a photo and a short description, helping to humanise those who are too often reduced to statistics.

The campaign achieved a powerful milestone by helping reunite 17-year-old Deante James with his family. After the Mirror shared his story in May, following his disappearance from Enfield on 31 March 2025, he was found and brought home safely. His mother, Vandana, publicly thanked the Mirror for raising awareness and helping push authorities to act, after an administrative error had delayed his identification.

Through its website, newspaper, newsletters and social media channels, The Mirror is telling the stories behind the names – focusing on the lives, personalities and families of those who are missing. The goal is simple but urgent: to bring at least one person home or to safety in 2025.

Editor-in-chief Caroline Waterston said: “In collaboration with Missing People, our mission is to bring awareness to EVERY publicly listed missing person in the UK through the live, interactive map created by our brilliant data team, while also shining a spotlight on cases that have been ‘missed’ or underreported. We hope that through this work, we can bring someone home this year to their loved ones. 

“At the Mirror, we are passionate about enacting real change and my thanks goes to Lynda Moyo, our Head of Emerging Content Editor, who has driven this forward so passionately. Every day, we’ll be sharing these stories and working to bring people home or to safety.  Ultimately every missing person, no matter their background or life choices, is someone’s son, daughter, mother, father, sister, brother, partner, friend and they are always missed.”

Nerissa Tivy, whose son Alexander Sloley has been missing since 2008, said: “As a mum, I know just how unbearable it is to have a loved one go missing. That’s why the partnership with The Mirror and Missing People means so much to us. They help us share the stories of our missing loved ones with compassion and care, giving families like mine hope and making sure those who are missing are never forgotten. It’s about more than headlines – it’s about helping families when they need it most.”

The campaign continues to call for systemic change. The Mirror and Missing People have launched a joint petition urging the government to publish a new national strategy for missing children and adults. The petition calls for better coordination between police, health and social care services, investment in prevention for those most at risk, and improved support for individuals when they return.

Ross Miller, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Missing People, said: “We are incredibly grateful to The Mirror for recognising that going missing is a crisis that can affect anyone. This powerful collaboration is not only raising vital awareness of the thousands of people who go missing each year, but it is also ensuring that families searching for answers feel seen, heard, and supported. 

“By amplifying appeals, driving change through petitions, and helping us raise essential funds, The Mirror is making a real difference in the lives of those affected by disappearance. Together, we are bringing hope to families and working towards a future where fewer people face this devastating experience.”

As part of the campaign, The Mirror continues to publish the name and photograph of a missing person each day, helping to raise awareness, maintain visibility, and drive meaningful change.