Families of Drew, Jess and Janine re-live the pain in Missing Person's Week

Held annually in the first week of August, it's a chance to again appeal for help to the one person who may hold that piece of the puzzle, and yet another reminder of the fact that the person they love so much is no longer with them.

Kiara White, sister of missing Bathurst man Andrew Russell said this time of year is always difficult.

Andrew, then aged 23, was last seen leaving a home on Slim Street, Bathurst, at about 8pm on Tuesday, June 2, 2009.

As Andrew left the home, he told the residents he was going to see his family. He has not been seen or heard from since.

"It's extremely hard this time of the year cause we have to remember it's been 13 long years with out Andrew or answers to what happened," she said on Tuesday.

"All the fighting, blood, sweat and tears just seem to continue.

"There seems to be no end."

For Andrew's step-mum, Sue Wallace it's equally as hard.

"It's a week to remind others about people out there missing but for us with missing loved ones it's another day of misery.

"For us it's been 13 years since my Drew has been missing and it doesn't get easier as time goes on, it gets harder especially when you know people in our own community know what happened to him and were he is.

"Please think of the three families here in Bathurst that are going through hell not knowing were our loved ones are and just make that one phone call to give us a little peace and bring them home," she said.

It's a similar sentiment for the family of missing teen Jessica Small and missing Bathurst woman Janine Vaughan.

READ MORE:

Janine went missing from Bathurst on December 7, 2001. The then 31-year-old retail worker was captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV) leaving a local nightclub in Bathurst, NSW and getting into a car, never to be seen again.

Jessica was abducted from Hereford Street in Kelso, after accepting a lift with a stranger in the early hours of October 26, 1997.

Janine's sister, Kylie Spelde, said Missing Person's Week is a time to remind the community to come forward if they know something about a missing person's case.

"Janine's case is an ongoing investigation, so to keep getting fresh information is critically important," she said.

"It keeps the case active."

Kylie, who along with her family have spent years doing their own investigations into Janine's disappearance, hope they will one day find out the truth of what happened.

She said, even 20 years on, she is amazed to get calls from people who were out the night Janine disappeared, who have never spoken to the police.

She said it shows the importance of keeping Janine, and the cases of other missing people in the front of people's minds.

Ricki Small, mother to missing Bathurst teen Jessica Small, also agrees.

This year will be 25 years since Jessica was taken, and still her family hope to one day find out what happened to her.

"The fact that Jessica was 15 [when she was taken] and would now be 40 is mind boggling to say the least," Ms Small said.

"Twenty-five years is a long time."

Ms Small, along with Andrew's family, were devastated when a banner featuring the photos of all three missing Bathurst people was taken down from the city's CBD earlier this year.

The banner was hung at Carrington Park for Missing Person's Week last year, where it remained until early this year.

Ms Small said she wanted the banner to be reinstated, to keep Jessica, Drew and Janine's cases prominent in the community, something she said was vital for all families.

"This is a tragedy that deserves more than just be talked about," she said.

Anyone with any information on Jessica Small, Janine Vaughan or Andrew Russell's disappearance is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: