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.
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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.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY !!

 

*** THIS SATURDAY ***

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

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