DADS’ ARMY

A GROUP dedicated to helping dads and their children spend quality time together has been set up in Inverclyde for the first time.

Home-Start Renfrewshire & Inverclyde has formed a dads group as a place for men to gather for some one-to-one time with their youngsters while forming friendships.

Run by Julie Gillan, the group is on every Saturday from 10amnoon at the Home-Start base in Greenock’s Hood Street.

New father Eamonn Magee, 22, has been going along to the group with twins Aria and Ava who are just a few weeks old.

Eamonn said: “I think there’s sometimes still a bit of a stigma around the role of a dad and some people still think it should always be mums who look after the children.

“There are so many groups out there for mums.

“This one is helping to show that dads can look after the children on their own too and that we want to spend as much time as we can with our wee ones.”

Eamonn says he’s already making connections with other dads which he hopes will help Ava and Aria make friends when they’re older too.

He added: “Some of us have started meeting outside the group and it’s great being able to talk about your own experiences.

“I’m really enjoying spending one-to-one time with the girls here.

“I want them to grow up being around people and not being shy.

“I want them to be outgoing and adventurous, and meeting people when they’re so young will help their confidence.”

The dads club offers tea and coffee and breakfast rolls and there are always different activities on the go.

Julie says there’s been a great response since it launched a few weeks ago.

She added: “We don’t know of anything like this anywhere else in Inverclyde.

“Most of the dads who came along to the first session have been coming back.

“You can see them all starting to get to know each other and friendships forming. A lot of dads work during the week, so the weekend is better for them.

“This gives the mums a break too and it provides the dads with some peer support.

“It gives dads the chance to spend a bit of time with kids on their own and the kids are absolutely loving it.”

The dads club is open to male parents and carers living in Inverclyde who have at least one child aged aged up to five.

To find out more email inverclyde@hsri.org.uk or call 01475 603441.