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. 

Dads Go Wild !! - Sat 15th Sept

An Evening for Dads to share their experiences !

Family Play Day on The Leys - Thur 26th July

Fancy appearing on the TV ??

<>

 

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

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.