Renowned actor and broadcaster Sir Stephen Fry is supporting The Independent’s SafeCall campaign with the charity Missing People, helping to raise funds to protect missing children and bring them to safety.
The cause holds deep personal significance for the comic, who went missing for three days in 1995 after becoming overwhelmed during a theatre run in London.
Speaking in his documentary Stephen Fry: A Life on Screen, he recalled: “I just couldn’t take being in the play, or being in London. I got in my car and drove to one of the Channel ports. I saw rows of newspaper headlines, ‘Fears for Fry’ type thing. That’s the awful thing. I can’t believe I made people worry so much. When you feel you can’t go on, it’s not just a phrase, it’s a reality. I could not go on, and I would have killed myself if I didn’t have the option of disappearing.”
“I am delighted to see The Independent join forces with the charity to be there for the 70,000 children and young people who are reported missing each year in the UK – young people who are so often the target of exploitation and harm,” he said.
Donate here or text SAFE to 70577 to give £10 to Missing People – enough for one child to get help.
“Together, we’ll be raising vital funds to build and launch a cutting-edge service for our times, and it’s called SafeCall. Most importantly, SafeCall will be designed by young people, so that it’s truly informed by their needs.”
With a child reported missing every two and a half minutes in the UK, The Independent is aiming to raise £165,000 to help launch SafeCall – a free new service that will provide children in crisis with confidential support, guidance and a route to safety.
Sir Stephen added: “Together we can create a legacy – help available whenever young people need it, and no matter what.”
He began his career in television on Alfresco and A Bit of Fry and Laurie before achieving widespread acclaim in Blackadder and as the long-time host of QI. In 2011, he became president of the mental health charity Mind, which offers advice, advocacy and support for those in need.
Through his work and his openness about his own experiences, Sir Stephen has become one of the country’s most trusted voices on the importance of compassion, understanding and help in moments of crisis.