It was an ordinary Saturday in Jesmond. On September 21st 2024, the queue outside Local NCL, the Acorn Road coffee shop, was particularly long. Students and families drifted from their homes to Cafe 1901 nearby, squinting at the sight of daylight. Locals buzzed in and out of Tesco to get their weekly shop.

For many, it was an ordinary day. But for some, the day was not so ordinary. 

September 21st 2024 was the day after Northumbria Police announced the news of hospital chaplain Katherine Watson’s death after going missing in Jesmond.

Katherine was truly loved and appreciated by those close to her and those who she helped through difficult times of their own. The news hit Jesmond hard, and her friends and family took to social media to express their sadness, crediting her as “always happy, cheerful and always there for you”, leaving the world “a sadder place without her”. 

In the UK, someone is reported missing every 90 seconds. That is over 170,000 reports every year, and this number continues to grow.

According to Northumbria Police, over the past five years in Jesmond alone, 2,283 people have gone missing, leaving family and friends bereft, confused, and completely terrified. When someone goes missing from home, the ripple effect is drastic. Northumbria Police have noticed the overwhelming impact of this apparent issue and have recently decided to take action. 

In November, they launched the Safe Return pilot programme: a collaborative effort that brings together the key players that are the Violence Reduction Unit, Waythrough’s Community Diversion Services, Together for Children and Northumbria Police to support children and families experiencing missing-from-home episodes. Although currently based in Sunderland, Northumbria Police supports all missing people cases.

Family conflict, home environment, substance use, seeking a new life, mental health issues, neglect. The list of reasons why someone might go missing from home is endless. But just simply being a young person? It can be impossible to navigate.

Keen to raise awareness on this issue, Bella Brown, a student living in Jesmond, spoke to JesmondLocal openly about the time her younger brother went missing from home. Describing the time as “unbelievably distressing”, she said: “We knew he was in a bad place, but we didn’t think it would get to the point where he’d run away from the place that was safest for him. When we realised he was gone, the worst part was feeling completely helpless.”

She added: “The police can only do so much, so when he eventually came home, you can imagine the emotions my family and I felt. The issue is now that we don’t want to let him out of our sight. I think this new Safe Return programme is so important and will be really beneficial. I wouldn’t wish that fear on anyone.”

Waythrough, an incredible organisation that specialises in mental health, alcohol, drugs and related areas are playing a key role in building the Safe Return scheme. Formed in 2024 from a merger between two charities, they now have around 225 services nationally across the UK.

Waythrough’s marketing and communications manager, Elisha Mosely, told JesmondLocal: “Our high quality, evidence-based services are designed around the needs of the people we serve. Too many people hit dead ends when they need open doors and answers. That’s where Waythrough comes in”. 

She added: “It is important for the public to be aware and educated around the push and pull factors that may lead to someone going missing from home, and the public must be aware of the correct processes to be followed when someone does go missing.”

Offering words of hope, Northumbria Police’s Crime Commissioner, Susan Dungworth, has said: “The approach has already shown promising results elsewhere, and we’re confident that Safe Return will have a similar positive impact.” 

Through initiatives like Safe Return, people like beloved Katherine Watson will have a better chance of getting themselves out of that dark place. There is hope that we can work towards a future where fewer people feel the need to run away. 

We sincerely hope not, but if anyone finds themselves needing to report a missing person, you can do so by sending Northumbria Police a direct message on social media or on the live chat function on the Force website. You can also call 101.