McCanns Take 57,000 Pounds from Mercury Paper

YOUR HELP CARRIED US THROUGH THE WORST TIMES
Date : 04.10.07

They arrived at 2pm - through the back door, through the Mercury garage, past the staring faces of the delivery drivers and ushered through the reception and straight into the boardroom.

It's day 153 since Madeleine McCann went missing. In that time, our newspapers and TV news bulletins have turned Kate and Gerry McCann into the best-known faces in Europe. Madeleine, meanwhile, has still not been found.

Yesterday, on the day the final photographer decamped from outside their house in Rothley, the McCanns left their home to do something they've wanted to do for a long time.

They came to the Mercury to say thank you. To their family, friends and neighbours. To their work colleagues. To the churchgoers who have prayed for Madeleine every night.

And to the Leicester Mercury readers who bought more than 50,000 green and yellow Madeleine bands, raising £57,000 for their fund.

There could be no questions about the investigation or the legal side of their case, said their spokesman, former BBC correspondent Clarence Mitchell.

But Kate and Gerry McCann spoke warmly of the help and support they had received - and how your help carried them through the lowest, loneliest periods.

Thanks for coming in and agreeing to speak to us today.

Gerry: "We just want to say thank you. That's the reason we are here. This cheque - I haven't opened it yet, but £57,000 - it's a huge amount. Both Kate and I would like to say a big, sincere thank you to everyone in Rothley and Leicestershire who has been so supportive. It means a lot to us."

How will the money be used - do you know yet?

Gerry: "We're in the process of looking into which specific areas we need to use this fund.

"We are about to start a widespread campaign so I can assure you it will be put to very good use.

"We want to increase awareness, get back to basics if you like. Target specific areas with pictures and billboards and messages. We want to refocus the coverage."

Kate: "The coverage has been on us. The coverage should be on Madeleine, no-one else."

Gerry: "But it's important for us to do this: to say a big thank you to the people who have backed us. Their support has been tremendous.

"It's more than just family, friends and neighbours. Today, I received a letter from the chaplain at Glenfield Hospital.

"Every Friday they have a vigil at the hospital. It started during the first week of Madeleine's disappearance and they are still holding them now, every Friday lunchtime.

"I've not been anywhere near Glenfield Hospital - but they're still there, still praying for us. That touches me. It keeps me going.

"Despite everything that has been written, we're still receiving many messages of support. All the letters we have received have been positive."

How much mail have you received?

Gerry: "We've been getting three big crates of mail every day. It's so much we have to collect it from the post office. We didn't think it was fair on our post lady.

"It's tailed off slightly, but we're still receiving a big box of letters every day. It's incredible."

Kate: "And the flowers, so many flowers. People have been so kind - it has made coming home a lot easier."

What has been your lowest point during all of this?

Kate: "I don't think there has been one, particular low moment. Obviously, nothing can compare with the night Madeleine went missing.

"A lot has happened since then. Sometimes, the most trivial of things can bring you crashing down."

Gerry: "I think when we were made suspects in our own daughter's disappearance; when the inference was that Madeleine was dead and that, somehow, we were involved... But, no, it can't get worse than that first night."

Kate: "Nothing has been worse than that."

Gerry: "Everything that has happened, everything we do and feel, it is all put into perspective by how we felt on that first night."

How do you keep going?

Kate: "Something carries you through. We have Sean and Amelie of course. We are there for them.

"And we still have hope. The messages of support; friends and family rallying round. You just can't overestimate what those messages of support have meant for us. They have kept us going on low days, kept us strong during the worst times.

"I've had days when if I wasn't crying about Madeleine, I was crying from the letters and messages people have sent to us. It has helped so much."

How are Sean and Amelie?

Kate: "It didn't take them long to settle back. It's familiar for them at home, they have their toys, they know where things are. They're back in nursery, they play so well together. They miss their big sister."

Do they ask about Madeleine?

Gerry: "They do."

What do you tell them?

Kate: "We tell them that she is missing and that everyone is looking for her. And that's the truth."

Gerry: "They don't dwell on it. They miss her - but they are not tormented by it. Time means nothing to them at their age. They have no comprehension of when things have happened. They're happy with themselves."

Going back to the night Madeleine disappeared, how and when did you decide that you needed to involve the media?

Gerry: "We didn't. On that Friday night, we came out of the police station and there were 150 reporters there.

"We had a quick decision to make. What do we do here? Do we ask the media for help or do we hide?"

Were you receiving professional advice at that time?

Gerry: "We had the media liaison officer from the Mark Warner resort. He helped us a lot."

How did you feel about the publicity which quickly surrounded you?

Kate: "The publicity was secondary, it really was. At first, I don't think it touched us.

There can't be many people left in Leicestershire - or anywhere else for that matter - who don't know who you are. How does that feel for you?

Gerry: "It's weird, very strange. We have had to rely on our friends and family. Our neighbours have been so good.

"They've been incredibly understanding. They have been there for us, in very testing times. There has been a huge media presence in Rothley."

Gerry says that yesterday, Wednesday, was the first day that they could look out of their windows and not be greeted by a crowd of photographers.

The last photographer left on Tuesday night. He says he'd prefer not to answer questions about the media.

What are you doing now? What do you plan to do?

Gerry: "We want to get back to basics. Timing is the issue. We are looking now at what is the most effective thing we can do in our search for Madeleine.

"The legal side has taken priority. We want to change that and refocus the attention on to finding Madeleine."

When were you aware of the green and yellow Madeleine bands?

Gerry: "It must have been quite early on. When did they start? I don't know."

Kate: "Time passed by so surreally. It was the first few hours, then eight hours, then 24 hours, 48 hours, then 72 hours... I don't remember. Each day felt like a week."

What can you say about the legal side? It's been widely reported that Portuguese Inspector Goncalo Amaral has been relieved of his duties...

Gerry: "We can't comment on that. We want to emphasise enough our thanks, to the people of Leicestershire who helped to raise this money and for the support we have received.

"It's just so uplifting. A few nights ago, we had a curry with some friends."

Kate: "It was just a takeaway, we weren't out having a meal."

Gerry: "And the waiters in the restaurant, the staff - they were so good.

"I went to the dump to throw some things away. Even there, people came up and said: 'I hope everything works out all right for you'

"These were just ordinary, everyday people - people I didn't know, people going about their business - taking time out to pass on their best wishes."

Kate: "We can be out in the car and people will put their thumbs up. It's a simple thing, but we take great comfort from that."

Have any of your patients been in touch?

Kate: "Yes, lots of them. That means a lot."

When do you plan to return to work?

Gerry: "I did think about going back to work in some capacity - but that all changed when we were declared arguidos (suspects). That has put things back a bit. I won't be changing careers, let's say. The hospital has been incredibly supportive."

Kate: "There are so many people to thank - the primary schools, Bishop Ellis Primary School in Thurmaston; Rothley Primary School; the local police - they have been excellent, so pleasant.

"Our local church. It's a five-minute walk from our house. They have been saying prayers continually. In fact, people from all faiths have been praying. We have had support from the Anglican church; from the Baptist church.

"They were planning to come together, I have heard - but I think that maybe this forced them to do it a bit quicker than they planned."

When do you expect life to return to any kind of normality?

Gerry: "Well, today is the first day there are no photographers outside our house."

Kate: "There is a semblance of normality returning. It's more normal than it was three weeks ago, Amelie and Sean see to that. But really how can it be normal? How can it be normal without Madeleine?"

Gerry: "None of this has been normal has it, really?"