Posted on: 1st December 2022

Errol Murray’s daughter Rayya was six months old and he did not have many friends with families. He was also commuting to Manchester for work, seeing little of his daughter and only having functional conversations with his wife Veena.

“When we had our daughter, it was a real shock to the system. I asked a couple of the mums I worked with to ask if the dads of their children who were new dads would like to come and talk about how we were, and this isolation and bubble that we’re living in.”

Leeds Dads was born and began with a meeting at the Leeds City Museum cafe. Eleven years later, the group is still alive and kicking and now boasts hundreds of involved dads. The group is one of the projects supported by Leeds Christian Community Trust (LCCT).

Errol said: “We met at Leeds City Museum cafe and 11 years later, we're still doing it. We meet four times a month, every weekend in Leeds. There is a soft play called Little Angels in Holbeck which is marvellous. We’ve got a deal where we can provide free tea and toast for dads and kids, as well as free soft play. We get 25 to 30 dads per session down there, it’s hectic. The staff talk to the dads, ask them how their day has been and how their children are developing.

Read the full story here.