As I write this I’m basking in the knowledge that when it comes to BMX the Brits are Olympian! Not that I’ve ever been on a BMX bike you understand; to be honest they look exhausting to ride! But hats off to Declan Brooks, Kye Whyte, Bethany Shriever and Charlotte Worthington for each bringing home an Olympic medal at the first attempt. Charlotte’s gold was particularly heart-warming. She perfectly illustrated the old adage that when you fall off your bike the thing to do is pick yourself up and get straight back on. When she courageously attempted and landed that full 360° backflip in her second run we all fell in love with BMX. In some ways we’ve all been doing much the same thing this last year and a half. The curves that the pandemic has thrown our way have knocked us clean off our bikes. And yet we get back up, brush ourselves down and go again. And so it is with Who Let The Dads Out? groups all over the UK and beyond. I’ve had the privilege to catch up with a host of groups to see the creative ways they’ve supported families through the different lockdown phases and how they are now racing ahead with plans for the autumn term. In line with the theme for this year’s Playtime National Conference, whether you have only recently started out in your mission to support fathers or have been at it for years and are doggedly picking yourself up to go again, please know that you are a catalyst for change.
Tony Who Let The Dads Out? team Save the date - Congress 4 Saturday 13 November 2021 10 am-11.30 am Missed Congress 3? (Don’t worry - we understand - it was the height of summer!) You can catch up with all the great content on engaging with our local communities to increase our support for fathers. A catalyst makes a chemical reaction go faster; it sparks a reaction. At this year’s Playtime National Conference we want to gather toddler group teams to reignite your imagination and passion for your groups. No matter where you live, you can join Helen Lock and Paula Pridham as they host a jam-packed programme of online talks and workshops, with guest speakers including Rob Parsons, Cathy Madavan, Ed Drew, Mark Chester, Shell Perris, Andrew Ginn, Gaz Hillier and more. Three new episodes of the Dad Cave podcast are now available to watch or listen to at your leisure. Ugo chats with Stephen Hayes and Mark Chester about parenting in a mixed race family. Oli joins the guys to unpack some tips for adoptive parents. And Adam explores how to keep being a good dad when you struggle with your mental health. It’s good to talk so let’s join the conversation #dadstalktoo Run the Race - Episodes 1 and 2 Missed them the first time round? Here’s another chance to book in and watch Episode 1 (the one where Mark Chester and Gerrit Bantjes race each other across South Wales on some dodgy looking bicycles) and Episode 2 (the one that turns out not to be a race at all), all conducted under the beady eye of Rob Parsons. Episode 1: Episode 2: |