"Son, I'm thirty
I only went with your mother 'cos she's dirty
And I don't have a decent bone in me
What you get is just what you see, yeah
...I said, `Dad, you are shabby
You run around and groove like a baggy
You're only here just out of habit
All that's mine you might as well have it'..." Happy Mondays – Kinky Afro
Salford's Shaun Ryder articulated it in Kinky Afro, one of the best tunes of the Madchester era and one of Happy Mondays' biggest hits - the role of fathers in kids' wellbeing...
A project that's been running in the city for a few years, that began with Salford Dadz in Little Hulton, is now reaching out further into west Salford with Dadly Does It, encouraging dads to come together to help other fathers help their children so they don't get emotionally screwed up.
The group is now looking for any men who have a father role in Westwood Park, Alder Park, New Lane, Peel Green and Brookhouse to get involved in a series of self help events aimed at getting dads' heads together to sort stuff out. They're looking not for just dads, but stepdads, granddads, uncles and brothers who do the dad role.
Meanwhile, as part of the Dadly Does It project in Winton, children took part in a competition through their primary schools, nurseries and the local children's centre to write or draw why their dad is the greatest, to find out what children think is important in a dad.
The finals took place at Salford City Academy recently, with Ceremonial Mayor, Councillor Karen Garrido, handing out the prizes. At the event, children were asked to write a letter to their father and one wrote: `Dear Dad, I'd really love it if you spent more time with me. Even though you do, I just love our fun together.'
At the event, local father Dan Crawley gave out his tips to being a fab dad..."...let your children grow themselves, guide them and have fun. Always tell your child you love them and be there for them, as just saying them words and being there for them will mean more than money could ever buy."
While Shaun Ryder versed the flip side of this, fellow poet, William Wordsworth, gave the best truism ever... "The Child is father of the Man..."
To get involved in Dadly Does It contact John Horrocks, Development Worker at Unlimited Potential, on 07795 284146.
Dadly Does It is a project supported by local social enterprise, Unlimited Potential, and is funded by the Lankelly Chase Foundation
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
(3).jpeg)
.png)
(1).JPG)
