Wednesday 7 November 2012

It's Movember Time !!!



UNITED KINGDOM
 

OVERVIEW OF MOVEMBER

During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces in the UK and around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and testicular cancer.



Once registered at movember.com each Mo Bro must begin the 1st of Movember with a clean shaven face. For the entire month each Mo Bro must grow and groom a moustache. There is to be no joining of the mo to the sideburns (that’s considered a beard), there’s to be no joining of the handlebars to the chin (that’s considered a goatee) and each Mo Bro must conduct himself like a true gentleman.

A Mo Sista is essentially a woman who loves a Mo. An individual that is dedicated to supporting the Mo Bros in her life through their moustache growing journey; whether it be a friend, colleague, family member or partner. These inspirational women are committed to raising awareness of men's health issues and much needed funds for men's health along the way.

Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November and through their actions and words raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health.

At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate their Movember journey throwing their own Movember parties or attending one of the Gala Partés held around the world to stand tall and celebrate the moustache.
 
 
The Movember Effect: Awareness & Education, Survivorship, Research

The funds raised in the UK are directed to programmes run directly by Movember and our men’s health partners, Prostate Cancer UK and the Institute of Cancer Research. We work with these partners to ensure that Movember funds are supporting a broad range of innovative, world-class programmes in line with our strategic goals in the areas of awareness and education, survivorship and research.

88.0% Allocated to Programmes
Of the funds raised in the UK, 88.0% have been committed to programmes supporting prostate and testicular cancer initiatives. 75.4% was donated to Movember UK’s men’s health partners, Prostate Cancer UK and the Institute of Cancer Research. 12.6% has been committed to programmes run by the Movember Foundation.


GETTING IN TOUCH

Click for the Official Movember Site
 
Click to register for 2012                                                    
 
Click to donate to an individual, team or to make a general Movember donation
 
 

Tuesday 30 October 2012

New Book for Dads !

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28 page A5 illustrated information book
Suitable for all dads and dads-to-be
ISBN: 978-1-906036-39-3

`The Dad's Book` is an essential, easy to follow guide for all dads and dads-to-be. It will help dads to discover their super dad qualities and ensure that they give their children everything that they need to grow in confidence.

Topics covered include:

The Importance of Being a Dad
The Arrival of a New Baby
Staying Safe
Being Healthy
Healthy Eating
Keeping Active
Early Learning
Rules and Boundaries
Dads who are the Main Carer
Dads who don't Live with their Children
Enjoy your Children's Company
Support and Contacts for Help and Advice

This book was developed in association with BD5 Dads, Burnett Fields Children & Family Centre, Canterbury Nursery School and Centre for Families & Children, Woodroyd Children's Centre and West Bowling Youth Initiative.
Price: £4.00

Available from

Kidpremiership
The Dyehouse
Armitage Bridge
Huddersfield
HD4 7PD
Tel : 01484 668008  Fax: 01484 668009      

click here to order http://kidpremiershop.com/catalogue--iID--203--the-dads-book.php

October - Dads Group Focus - Witney Children's Centre


PACT Witney Children's Centres
Radford Room West                   Witney School Site
High Street Methodist Church    Edington Road
Witney                                        Deer Park
OX28 6HG                                  Witney  OX28 5FZ
01993 774721                         01993 771298

Twilight Dads Group                   2nd & 4th Saturday of the month
Every Monday 4.00 - 5.30           09.30 - 11.30
 
 
 
 
 Yonit Sapwell who runs the Dads Group
 
Your Name : Yonit Sapwell

Name of Children’s Centre :Witney Children’s centre

When does your Dads Group meet ? Monday’s 4-5.30pm Twilight Dad’s in the Radford room & Saturdad’s 9.30 – 11.30 2nd & 4TH Saturday of the month @ West Witney site.  We also have a Working Parents Group on the 1st Saturday of the month – this is for Mum’s and Dad’s who often don’t get the opportunity to attend groups because of working patterns.

What can the Dads and their children do at your Group ? Opportunity to meet other dad’s and experience a variety of activities including messy play, BBQ ‘s, craft, singing and much more.

What do they enjoy the most ? Having special 1to1 time with their child  in a social setting with other like-minded dad’s. 

Why is Dads work important to you and what do you enjoy most about it? I enjoy seeing children interacting with their Dad in a fun way and strongly believe that dad’s have just as important role in a family or child’s life as a  mother. I think dad’s are often forgotten about and a lot of emphasis is put on the mum from when she falls pregnant and then it shifts to the child . I’d love to see dad’s included / welcomed  in every part of the family life.

Which Father Figure (fact/fiction/past/present) do you admire the most and why ? My husband Paul,as he has actively involved himself in every area of parenting from day 1. Our children  definitely see him as the  fun one but also look up to him as a role model and the person at the heart of our family who always seems to make everything right. 

Tips for Dads !! Thurs 15 Nov @ Grandpont Children's Centre, off Abingdon Road

After the success of the last 3 sessions, Grandpont Children's Centre are running another evening event on Thursday 15th November starting at 7.30pm. Do come along and share your tips and experiences....

Thursday 18 October 2012

Dads Go Wild at the Playday - Hillend Camp

Dads Go Wild at the Playday


As the sun rose on a cold September morning, 10 bleary eyed dads and their children slowly emerged from their tents at the crack of dawn. On the 14th September 2012, dads from Marston Northway Children’s Centre and Witney Children’s Centre had stayed overnight at the Hill End Centre in Oxford as a celebratory event which was part of the Dads Outdoors project. It was a crisp, clear morning and temperatures had plummeted overnight but all dads and children had kept warm in their tents and sleeping bags (many thanks go to Sue Dowe from Elm’s Road Children’s Centre for helping to source some of these tents). For many of the children it was their first experience of camping and a blanket of calmness seemed to have settled over the Hill End field as the fathers and children slowly put their tents away. This calmness was in sharp contrast to the frivolity and fun of the events the evening before and indeed the events that were to follow as Saturday the 15th was the Hill End Playday. 
 

Dads and children started arriving at Hill End from 4pm on the Friday and immediately started putting up their tents. This task was completed by the dads and children with such aplomb that it was hard to believe that they were not all seasoned campers. Indeed for some of the dads this was their first experience of going camping. All of the children were notably excited and the children’s sense of adventure continued right the way through the weekend’s activities. This sense of adventure has gone hand in hand with the Dads Outdoors project which has involved 8 Children’s Centres across Oxfordshire. The project aimed to develop monthly activities for fathers in the local outdoor environment. The project has looked different in every centre and there has been a strong sense of father-led activities being arranged. Examples have included cray fishing in Witney, a trip to a farm park at Elm’s Road Children’s Centre, storytelling in the outdoors at the East Street Centre, a visit to the CS Lewis Nature Reserve at the Roundabout Centre and kite flying at Marston Northway to name just a few. Dads and their children were able to discuss the fun they had in the outdoors whilst they explored the Hill End site before settling down for their evening meal.

Cooking for 35 people was quite a challenge, and in the spirit of Dads Outdoors, the menu was very adventurous. The dads and children helped to prepare and cook the food on an open fire which included jacket potatoes, lentil dhal (curry), sausage casserole and a variety of marinated halal meats. You could really sense the children’s awe and wonder as they sat round the fire and watched the food cook. There was a real sense of achievement from the dads who had helped cook the food and everyone was really full after what surely surmounted to a feast. After eating, songs were sung around the fire and stories told before everyone retired early to their tents (the children was so keen to sleep in the tents that many asked to go to bed – surely a first).
 
 
 
Whilst we were packing the tents away and eating breakfast, the Hill End Playday 2012 was being set up around us. Oxfordshire Parenting Forum once again organised the Dads Go Wild area which the children and dads from the overnight camp helped to set up. Many of the dads and children stayed to join in the fun of the Playday and some were joined by the rest of their families. The Playday at the Hill End Centre is the last hurrah of the summer playdays and is becoming a firm family favourite as more and more people hear about how good it is. Organised by the Oxfordshire Play Association, the Playday is a free family event and this year was more popular than ever, with early estimates suggesting well over 1,200 people in attendance. 
 
The Dads Go Wild area was a constant throng of activity with the water play feature keeping children and their families amused for hours. Around 20 metres of guttering, donated to us from the East Street Centre (Banbury), was set up in two opposing lines with a tray of water either end. The children loved pouring water down the guttering and watching ducks, cars and small balls race down. It was fun for all ages and an activity that dads in particular seemed drawn to…and an activity that parents found difficult to drag their children away from.
 
 
 
Inside the Dads Go Wild tent, Amy from Marston Northway Children’s Centre was helping children to create their own paper aeroplanes. With various different colours and creative ways of folding, the tent was soon filled with fantastic looking planes hanging from the tent poles.
 
 
 
The third activity in the Dads Go Wild area was den building. This was very much a child led activity with ropes, camouflage nets, tarpaulins and trellising used to make some awesome hideouts.
Now in its 5th year, Dads Go Wild was another massive success with positive feedback from all members of the family. We tried to give everyone who played with the Dads Go Wild activities a sticker which said ‘Dad Gone Wild’ for dads, ‘Wild About Dad’ for children and, so that they were not left out, ‘Mum Gone Wild’ for mums. In total we gave out over 400 stickers and they were an excellent way of approaching parents so that we could talk to them about the work that Oxfordshire Parenting Forum does and point dads in the direction of the Oxon Dads website and blog. 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Tuesday 2 October 2012

Man Enough course for Fathers



Places are still available to join this excellent, well established program - If you would like more info please contact Conroy on 07775 407524



Tips for Dads !! Thurs 11 Oct @ Grandpont Children's Centre, off Abingdon Road

 
 
After the success of the last 2 sessions, Grandpont Children's Centre are running another evening event on Thursday 11th October starting at 7.30pm.  Do come along and share your tips and experiences....
 
 
 
 

Friday 7 September 2012

Free Event - Saturday 15th September !!


More from the Fatherhood Institute







                              Reconnecting young people with their fathers

The Fatherhood Institute is developing a pilot 'Father-finding' project to support young people who do not see their fathers - to address issues arising from this experience, and to reconnect (where desired, possible and safe) with their father and/or with paternal relatives.

We are looking for: • Examples of good practice in this field
• Examples of good practice in the related field of ‘family finding’ where looked-after or adopted children are put in touch with relatives
• A partner organisation that engages directly with families and would be interested in developing child-father reconnections with us
• Individuals with relevant expertise interested in participating in an Advisory Group
• Organisations skilled in ‘discovery’ of long-lost relatives.
 The unique feature of this project is that it starts with the needs and wishes of the young person. The child is the client. It is therefore different from, and complementary to, projects which help distressed fathers connect with children they do not see.

If you can help, or if you need further information, please email Fiona Harrison.




Involving fathers in sickle-cell screening
 The National Institute for Health Research is researching how fathers are involved in ante-natal screening for sickle cell disorders.
 Are you a man aged 18-40? Have you become a father in the last three years? Was your partner a sickle cell carrier? Do you know that part of the care for mothers and fathers-to-be is to be offered screening for sickle cell?

If so, the researchers would like to hear from you. Please contact Dr Maria Berghs by email or call (01904) 321 612. If you know of a dad who may fit the bill, please pass on these details to him.



Young men and unintended pregnancy
 A team at Queen’s University Belfast is developing an educational resource about unintended pregnancy, aimed at teenage men. The resource, entitled If I were Jack... is based upon an interactive video drama, which tells the story of an unintended teenage pregnancy from the point of view of a young man.
 The If I were Jack... team led by Dr Maria Lohan is in the process of developing the resource for use within the relationship and sexuality education (RSE) curricula of post-primary schools in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and it will be available in summer 2013. It may also have potential for use internationally and outside of classroom settings.
 If you are interested in following the development of the resource, or accessing the research publications on which it is based, visit the If I Were Jack... website for more information. You can also contact QUB research fellow Áine Aventin by email or call 028 9097 2463.


Young dads survey
 The Family Strategic Partnership is working with a range of fathers' organisations (including the Fatherhood Institute) to find out how charities support young men to make the transition to fatherhood. They would like to hear from young dads about your experiences of becoming a father, from the time you found out you were going to be a dad, through pregnancy and the birth, to where you are now.
 The FSP will use the dads' stories to write a report that lets people know what support is out there for dads, and what's missing.

Take the survey here.
 If you have any questions about the survey, please email Jessica Cundy at Barnardo's.

 


The Fatherhood Institute, Unit 5 Warren Courtyard, Savernake, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 3UU

Phone 0845 6341328  
Registered charity number 1075104  Company number 3709549

Wednesday 22 August 2012

August - Dads Group Focus - North Oxford Children's Centre - Cutteslowe


North Oxford Children’s Centre
Cutteslowe Primary School
Wren Road
OX2 7SX

Tel: 01865 559742
northoxfordchildrenscentre@oxfordshire.gov.uk

We are situated in Wren Road on the Cutteslowe School site near the Banbury Road Roundabout

The Dads Group is held every third Saturday of the month.


Philippa Sherry who runs the Dads Group and her son Fred


Your Name:  Philippa Sherry
Name and address of Children’s Centre : North Oxford Children’s Centre, Cutteslowe Primary School, Wren Road, OX2 7SX
When does your Dads Group meet ?  Every third Saturday of the month
What can the Dads and their children at your Group ?  The Dads get to have a fun play with their children.  They get a lovely cuppa and a croissant and time to chat with other Dads and male carers.  We try to provide something new and interesting for the children to do each month and are working on planning some trips and visitors with something enjoyable for fathers and their offspring to do together.  We have a baby massage session in May, and Claire Goodall, the local mosaicist, coming to June’s Dads’ group to finish off the mosaic work many of the mothers have been doing over the last few weeks.
What do they enjoy the most?  Playing with children and having time to chat and relax with other fathers who share similar work and childcare commitments
Why is Dads work important to you and what do you enjoy most about it?  It is important to me because I feel that the children’s centre can sometimes be perceived as being solely a female hub of activity.  I want to celebrate and nurture the male role model these children have and empower him to come and use the centre confidently.
Which Father Figure (fact/fiction/past/present) do you admire the most and why?  I admire my half brother the most as a father figure.  He has three daughters and has always made the effort to spend time with them individually and really understand them as people.  He has educated himself in child development and nurtured their interests and strengths as they have grown up. 

Wednesday 4 July 2012

Fancy appearing on the TV ??

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Men and fathers wanted for TV documentary

Testimony Films are making a major three part BBC4 series about Love and Marriage in Britain. It is a follow up to their acclaimed series A Century of Fatherhood (if you haven't already seen it, do take the time to watch - it's still available here on the BBC4 site). The programme makers want to sympathetically portray the experiences of men and fathers in successful marriages and long-term cohabitations which stand the test of time. The voices of men are rarely heard in programmes on relationships. It is REALLY IMPORTANT that the programme makers get to redress the balance.

Testimony Films are looking for men to contribute to one of the programmes which explores the challenges couples faced from the 1980s to the present day. It explores how romantic love often changes - and deepens- after the realities of a lifetime commitment. How would you describe the love you felt for your partner when you first got together, after three years, when you had your children and now? How did your love change and mature while you both pursued careers, raised a family, coped with money worries or illness? Perhaps there was a breakdown of communication, sexual problems or an extra marital affair? The programme is especially interested in any dramatic story that may have brought you closer together as a couple.

In the 1980s many couples rejected marriage for cohabitation, and in the 1990s saw cohabitation as a trial for marriage. After some years, perhaps after decades, some did get married: if this is your experience the team would really like to hear your story and whether being married changed or did not change your experience of love and commitment.

If you have been through divorce, what is the story of how you found love again? What were your expectations of a long term relationship second time round? How did you find the reality of love and remarriage/re-partnering, once, twice, three times? What are the challenges of love and passion within an extended step-family?

The programme makers would also be interested in any woman who wanted to contribute to her man’s story as well. They can offer a small fee of £100, plus expenses, as well as a copy of the programme, to anyone they film.
Interested?

Please email Pete Vance or Emily Sivyer at Testimony Films, 12 Great George St, Bristol BS1 5RS or call them on 0117 925 8589.

The Fatherhood Institute, Unit 5 Warren Courtyard, Savernake, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 3UU

Phone 0845 6341328

Registered charity number 1075104 Company number 3709549

Friday 29 June 2012

A Fun Day Out !! - Friday 27th July

June - Dads Group Focus - Willow Tree Children's Centre - Bampton


Runs Every Fourth Saturday
           16th Jun, 14th Jul, 8th Sept, 6th Oct, 3rd Nov, 1st Dec
For further information contact
The Willow Tree Children’s Centre
Bowling Green Close
Bampton
OX18 2NJ
01993 851799
willowtree@oxfordshire.gov.uk


Cheryl Huntbach who runs the Dads Group


Your Name :  Cheryl Huntbach
Name and address of Children’s Centre :
Willow Tree Children’s Centre, Bowling Green Close, Bampton, OX18 2NJ
When does your Dads Group meet ?
Every four weeks 10am-12
What can the Dads and their children do at your Group ?
We have lots of resources for the Dads and their children to play with, such as role play, construction, painting and cooking.  We have a good sized garden with sand and water play, trikes, a toddler climbing frame and a miniature Traveller wagon.
What do they enjoy the most ?
I would say the bacon sandwich and the cup of tea!  But I do know they enjoy spending quality time with their children and that they can meet other dads and can share experiences.
Why is Dads work important to you and what do you enjoy most about it ?
I really enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the group and the way the dads just get ‘stuck in’ to the activities.  I understand that this time is important for dads to have time for just themselves and their children, and it is so lovely to see them playing together and enjoying themselves.
Which Father Figure (fact/fiction/past/present) do you admire the most and why ?
To sound really boring and clichéd, I would have to say my own father!  I am not his biological daughter but I have never felt he treated me any differently to my siblings.  He is the most hardworking and generous man I have ever known.  He has given me a strong work ethic and made me understand the importance of family.  He has always been there through good times and bad and I know he will never let me down.

A Tribute to Albert Ford


Albert Ford (November 2nd 1944 – May 30th 2012)


Albert at the launch of the Oxondads.co.uk website launch 2011



Initially, parenting didn’t come naturally to Albert. Like most of us, he had to learn the hard way - from his mistakes, some of which, to his sadness, he couldn’t make up for. He put it down to experience which he had to learn from. This typified his approach to life, and parenting in particular. Life is about learning and learning is a choice that each individual has to make for themselves.
.
Albert grew up in New York in the 1950’s. Family life was difficult, with an alcoholic father and a mentally ill mother. As a teenager he learned to take drugs, and continued this habit through school, the air force and while he served in Vietnam. It was only when one of his 3 brothers died of an overdose that Albert knew the time had come for him to stop and he went into rehabilitation. He chose the toughest way out – the cold turkey, but pulled himself through at the third attempt.
For Albert therapy triggered off an overwhelming longing for his father (alas by then his father had died) and he realised that just how important he was to his twin boys—he didn't want them to miss out on the same he had. So he cut down his work commitments attended several parenting courses. One of these was Rosie Hill’s course based on the Veritas programme. So taken was he by its structure and message that he adapted it to suit fathers. He called it, ‘Man Enough’ – a play on the term ‘a good enough parent’. Leaflets advertising course used to say: Are you good enough or Man Enough?
It worked and hundreds of dads have attended the course since 1998.
Albert also took the course into Bullingdon Prison, a Young Offender Institution and a drug rehabilitation centre with similar success. It was Albert’s personal touch, nurturing the group, keeping in touch before, during and after the course that was critical to its success. Albert’s personal background gave him great humility when working with parents. He would never judge anyone or give advice. It was up to them to make their own choices based on what they have learned. He was always present at his course to ensure its particular style of delivery. This creates a particular challenge for those among us who would like to keep his work going.
For Albert it wasn’t simply about fathers learning parenting skills, he wanted them to develop confidence and self-awareness in their role as fathers. Albert believed strongly that men simply do not appreciate how important they are—physically and emotionally—to their children, a misapprehension society underlines with its emphasis on motherhood as the prime parenting force.
Not only was Albert a good practitioner, he was also a great visionary. He realised that there were thousands of other dads, together or separated, around the country feeling denied the chance to be involved in their children’s lives. Albert wanted dads to feel they could bring up their children on an equal footing with their mothers, sharing the excitement of growing, playing and learning together.
Albert was one of the earliest and probably the most powerful advocates for fathers in this county. His influence, his prodding encouragement and assertive argument have made a real impact on the practices of parent educators, children’s centres and health professionals.
Albert leaves behind many grateful fathers, families and who have been touched and inspired by his message, his warmth, his kindness and his passion. Some of these fathers and workers are determined to keeping Albert’s vision alive. We hope that OPF can play a part in making this happen.

Friday 8 June 2012

Albert Ford

Funeral Arrangements for the late Albert Ford




Albert Ford died, without warning, at his home in Botley, Oxford on 30th May.

Albert’s funeral will take place on Monday 11th June, 12.30 for 12:45pm at The Oxford Crematorium in Bayswater Road, Barton. All friends and associates are most welcome.
Please pass this onto anyone else you know who ought to get the news.

The funeral service will be very simple and inclusive. The main tributes will be made by the Rev Michael Howard, Masako Ford (Albert and Hiroko’s daughter), Chris Sewell and Kathy Peto, on behalf of Oxfordshire Parenting Forum. Hiroko has asked that anyone who wishes to contribute some thoughts or words during the service should feel free to do so, allowing time for reflection between contributions.  

There is no dress code, please come in whatever you feel comfortable in.

After the funeral service, refreshments have been arranged at:
The Talkhouse, Wheatley Road, Stanton St. John, OX33 1EX.
All are welcome. The family hope that this will also be a chance to talk and reminisce about Albert.
It would help with catering if anyone intending to come could send a short email to: sewellfam@ntlworld.com

Hiroko has asked that if people would like to make a donation in memory of Albert, that they might contribute to either of the following charities:
• Families Need Fathers, (http://www.fnf.org.uk/)  Tel. 0300 0300 363, or 
• Oxfordshire Parenting Forum, to help Albert’s work to continue. (OPF, c/o PEEP, PO Box 1404, OX4 6XW)
A collection bowl will be available after the funeral.

For those who would like to write to Hiroko and Masako, their address is:
1 Frogwell Road, Botley, Oxford., OX2 9SA

Wednesday 6 June 2012

A Date for Your Diary


'THE DIFFERENCE DADS MAKE'
An evening of discussion, planning and next steps for all services engaging with fathers in Oxfordshire.
There will be opportunites for fathers to feed back their experiences of services, practitioners to share their top tips and guest speaker Roger Olley sharing his years of experience in working with men and families for the last 30 years.

Timetable will include local best practices of dads work, Roger Olley talk, open Q&A, followed by food and drink and networking and feeding back next steps.

Please contact Glen or Martin if as a practitioner working with dads you would like to share a brief example of good dads work.

Please contact Glen or Martin if you would like to attend this event to give an idea of numbers.

Martin Andrews            Glen Scrivener
01865242900                 07796677960
07941281359

Monday 21 May 2012

For more information about Kid Premiership www.kidpremiership.com
kidpremiershiplogo
FOR MORE INFO, CONTACT DAVID HARBAN ON: 01484 668008
toptear
Why is it important to encourage dads to be more involved in the lives of their children?
Father-child relationships, whether they are positive, negative or non-existent, have profound and wide-ranging impacts on children that can last a lifetime.
Studies have shown that children whose fathers are actively involved in their lives are happier, more confident individuals who achieve more.

Yet childcare is still seen by many men as women’s work - an attitude that family support services work hard to address. That is why Kid Premiership have worked with such services to develop The Dad’s Book – a parenting resource that provides support and encouragement specifically for dads and dads-to-be.

To request a FREE e-sample call 01484 668008.
Special offers for Father's Day on 17th June 2012
SAVE 50% - 100 books for only £200
SAVE 25% - 10 books for £30
Individual books £4 each click here for more details.
middletear

More books especially for dads and dads-to-be:
LATEST NEWS
To encourage children to take more responsibility for leading a healthy lifestyle, Kid Premiership have
Kool Kid resource packs for just £30.
Call David Harban on
01484 668008
to request a pack today.

A great resource to use with dads and junior aged kids.



How to Contact Kid Premiership
The Dyehouse, Armitage Bridge, Huddersfield, HD4 7PD | T: 01484 668008 | F: 01484 668009 | E: davidharban@kidpremiership.com