Foreign Office Minister Gillian Merron attended this year´s balloon launch, where she met parents and guests and heard first hand their experiences of child abduction.
Download Gillian Merron´s keynote address here.
Annual Balloon Launch
We held our annual Balloon Launch on Thursday 4th December to remember those children who would not be at home at Christmas and to rejoice for those children who had returned home during the year.
This special day gave parents and families an opportunity to meet others in a similar situation and share the heartache and difficulties involved. It also gives parents and the reunite team an opportunity to meet the ´voice´ at the end of the telephone.
The day started at the Belmont Hotel, De Montfort Street Leicester, where we heard from Foreign Office Minister Gillian Merron, representatives from the Child Abduction Section at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit at the Ministry of Justice, Dr. Marilyn Freeman, Head of the reunite Research Unit and Mr Christopher Lee of Domenech Solicitors. Following the speeches guests and speakers participated in a lively and interesting question and answer session, during which some parents shared their own stories and experiences.
The launch of the balloons took place at the Town Hall Square, Leicester, where we released a 1,000 balloons to remember the many families touched by international parental child abduction. We were joined by The Deputy Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Roger Blakemore who gave a wonderful speech, and we would like to thank him for his kind words and support.
Following the release of the balloon´s guests returned to the Belmont Hotel for refreshments, where they had the opportunity to talk with members of staff from reunite, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Justice.
The day was a great success and we would like to thank our guest speakers for giving their time so generously. We would also like to thank and all those who sponsored balloons; without your kind donations we would not be able to organise this very special day.
Images of the day
Parents and guests watch as some of the 1,000 balloons are released.
Denise Carter, Director of reunite, addresses parents and guests at the Town Hall Square.
Guests and staff at the Belmont Hotel.
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