A 12-hour drumming event will take place in Pakenham next month as part of Missing Persons Week 2025, aiming to raise awareness and funds for families searching for their loved ones.
‘Missed in Motion’ will run from 9am to 9pm on Friday, August 9 at Red Cymbals HQ in Pakenham.
It is being organised by Pakenham’s drummer Dylan Redman, who has spent over three decades searching for his brother Owen, who disappeared in 1991.
Drum sheds usually last around three hours, but Dylan challenged himself and others by organizing a demanding 12-hour event—the longest drum shed ever.
“I hope that people will feel that their drumming means more than just a finite experience but will see that they can impact the world positively through drumming and being a part of the drumming community,” he said.
Hosted by the Red Drum Shed, with drummers invited to take part in person or online. Participants will receive a free pair of drumsticks and go into the draw to win a $200 Red Drum Shed voucher.
Dylan last saw his brother on 21 February 1991, the day he and their father reported Owen missing. Since then, the family has never stopped searching for answers.
The Missed Foundation, founded by Loren O’Keeffe, has supported the Redmans through awareness campaigns and community initiatives. The foundation does not receive government funding and relies entirely on public donations.
Missed Foundation has supported Dylan over the years with various initiatives, such as creating artwork and coffee cups featuring profiles of missing people, to help find his brother.
“I want to raise awareness of Missingness and the struggle that people go through with the intention of bringing this often hidden problem to the fore of people’s attention,” Dylan said.
“I hope that people who are affected by missingness will not feel alone and feel that there is a community of people behind them willing to support them.
“I also hope that there will be people who are considering taking their own life or ’disappearing’ and will reach out to people around them to get help. I think that my brother disappeared because he could not deal with the way that his life was panning out and wanted to start again.”
The decision to drum for 12 hours is symbolic — representing the 12 people typically affected by every missing person’s disappearance.
The event also highlights the scale of the issue in Australia. Each year, around 56,000 people are reported missing, with 2,500 becoming long-term cases. On average, 153 new reports are made daily, and 85 per cent are linked to mental health challenges.
“We regularly run drum sheds around the world and will continue to do so. We may run another similar event next year to support the Missed Foundation,” Dylan said.
To register or donate, visit www.reddrumshed.com
