April's mother receives award
The mother of murdered schoolgirl April Jones has received an award for her work helping other families with missing children.
Coral Jones, whose daughter was abducted from her home in Machynlleth and murdered by Mark Bridger, and Kate McCann, whose daughter Madeleine went missing on a family holiday in Portugal, both received the Stephen Wynard Award from the charity Missing People.
The award recognises people who, "despite having been affected themselves, volunteer their time for free to make a difference for all missing children and their families".
Both Kate and Coral have supported the charity's Child Rescue Alert campaign, which is aimed at getting as many people as possible to register to receive free text alerts when a child goes missing and is believed to be in imminent danger.
More than 35,000 people have signed up to the system, bringing the total number in the UK to over 350,000.
Coral, 44, whose daughter April, five, was abducted and murdered in October 2012, was overwhelmed by the award. She said: "I'm pleased to have received this award tonight. I want to do as much as I can to make sure no family experiences the pain we still go through."I've worked hard to try and make sure that if the worst happens, other families and other children will have the chance that April didn't have."
Kate, 47, from Rothley in Leicestershire, said: "Child Rescue Alert is all about encouraging communities to recognise the power they have to help others right on their doorsteps.
"It's heartening that so many communities of neighbours, schools and colleagues have registered for this system.
"Child Rescue Alert relies on its ability to reach a vast number of people, so we need to spread the word further and get more people signed up. This is where everyone can help."
