BS3 Daddin': a place for dads to get together
- katherineriley7
- Jun 4
- 3 min read
By Duncan Silvey, Co-Director of HumanKiND Festival
BS3 Daddin' is a monthly Saturday morning playgroup, based at St Pauls Church in Bedminster, south Bristol, for anyone who identifies as a dad and their kids aged between 0-5 years of age to get together, have fun and build a community that can learn from and confide in one another.
The playgroup exists as in 2021, I became a new father and unfortunately, due to the pandemic, our NCT group was online and people were dotted around Bristol and were not within walking distance. We had a few meet-ups, but most of the communication faded.
I had also moved to Bristol from London months before the pandemic hit and it left me with no immediate friendship group in the area. Being a musician, my social life had always revolved around the evenings and wanting to be a present and involved parent of a young child, I decided that this late night lifestyle wasn't feasible for the near future.
My partner and I decided to both work four days a week when my son Felix was born. On my days with him, I liked going to the classes and playgroups especially because I wanted to meet new people, but I was finding it hard to make new male friends within the new life stage I was presented with.
I think having a child made my partner and I see the differences in gender expectations of early parenting and it’s something I do want to address. I realised I wasn’t making any new male friends who were in similar situations and if I did see a dad, it was a very quick smile or cursory wave in the park.
Subsequently, I realised that I was lonely...
Founding BS3 Daddin'
To solve this, I thought why not provide a space for dads to get together? Saturday mornings are typically when most dads are off work and there’s not much in South Bristol open before 10am on the weekend. Most young children wake up at 6am (or earlier!), so running between 9am – 12:30pm is prime time.
My business partner Cags has now helped me shape the playgroup since February 2024. Collaborating with her to plan, curate and build the community, with us both attending each month to meet people, provide breakfast and make coffees for attendees.
Why is it important to have an only dads and children event?
I think this answer is multi-layered. Firstly, it gives one-on-one time for a dad and their children to build rapport, that may not be always possible during the week. Finding new friends for a dad outside of work and other commitments is challenging in a world that is now predominantly digital in terms of communication with people who are outside of our close proximity.
BS3 Daddin’ provides space and time for dads to chat and make new friends in person, building social skills, confidence and just having fun within the company of their children.
By being on a Saturday morning, this also gives a few hours for partners to rest and take time for themselves on the weekend. Unsurprisingly, we have seen that partners are the biggest promoters of the playgroup for this reason. Everyone wins.
The feedback has been that dads feel that they can relax in an environment that doesn’t require ‘perfect parenting’. People can talk openly about challenges they are facing and feel bonded by sharing their concerns and shared experiences.
The space to speak openly and just feel heard is hugely important. Dads aren’t always necessarily good sharers and by providing a supportive and inclusive environment, this allows people to open up and be vulnerable with each other.
If you identify as a Dad, wherever you are in Bristol or further afield, you are welcome to come to our playgroup.
