VB readers will remember reading about the Damien Nettles Billboard Campaign due to start this week. Kelly Matthews, Volunteering Project Co-ordinator from the YMCA tells us about another campaign
The 14th anniversary of the disappearance of Island teenager Damien Nettles is to be marked by a huge billboard image, to raise the profile of the campaign to find out what happened to him for 10 days from the 27th October 2010.
The YMCA vinvolved Project have jumped on board with their alternative ‘Human Billboard Campaign’ and hope to involve two hundred and fifty young volunteers from the Islandwide.
By actively engaging two hundred and fifty young people, we aim to help generate more awareness of Damien’s disappearance. We also aim to raise awareness of peer support (anti-bullying) through the campaign.
Young people make pledge to wear t-shirt
Volunteers (aged 16 -25) who sign up to the campaign will pledge to wear a Damien Nettle Missing Person t-shirt for one day over the anniversary of his disappearance (27th October – 6th November) to raise awareness. With the run up to National Anti-Bullying Week (15th – 19th November), volunteers will also pledge to be a listening ear to a peer and to report any bullying incidents in school/college or in the work place.
The YMCA vinvolved project has worked with the Missing People Charity and Valerie Nettles to develop the campaign. King Textiles, an Island based printing company has supported the campaign helping to produce the t-shirts.
Between Monday 1st to Wednesday 3rd October leading campaigners will be recruiting ‘human billboards’ volunteers at the Isle of Wight College from 10:30am -2:00pm.
“We have a duty to look out for one another”
Charlie Wellman, 16 who currently attends Cowes High sixth form has signed up to the campaign and also hopes to sign-up sixth form students ‘it’s horrible to think that local young people do go missing. I think we all have a duty to look out for one another especially when we are aware that people are going through tough spells in their lives’.
Damien went missing after a night out with friends on the Isle of Wight when he was just 16. He was living with his family in Gurnard at the time, disappearing on 2 November 1996. He was last seen at around midnight walking along the High Street in West Cowes shortly after buying chips.
If you are aged 16 -25 and would like to sign up to the campaign please contact Kelly Matthews, YMCA Volunteering Project Co-ordinator on 01983 861076 / [email protected] or join the Human Billboard Damien Nettles Campaign Facebook group .
