Exciting new project for young dads later this month
Tag: dads rock
Hairstyle sessions for dads and daughters
Hairstyling workshops with Dads Rock
Free Friday sessions at Gambado with Dads Rock
Dads and kids can enjoy free soft play sessions at Gambado at Fountain Park courtesy of Dads Rock … see below
soft play
Dads Rock are having a party – and you’re invited!
Dads Rock Halloween Party
Saturday 31 October from 4 -6pm
Royston Wardieburn Community Centre
Our Free Halloween party is on Saturday 31 October (4 – 6pm) at Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre. We’ll have … a bouncy castle, fancy dress, food, games, live music, mad scientists and potions!
The party is open to all Dads/Granddads and kids aged 0-5, even if they’ve not yet come to our playgroups. Our Glasgow dads are coming through to join the party as well.
If you know anyone who’d like to join us, ask them to get in touch to put their names down!
Free and Easy Riders!
Dads can build a bike for their kids for free!
Young dads will have the chance to get together and build a free balance bike for their children, thanks to award winning charity Dads Rock and partners Edinburgh Tool Library and RG workshops.
They are on the look-out for dads aged 25 or under from across Edinburgh to give them all the tools and equipment needed to build a free balance bike for their children.
The weekly workshops start later this month, so if you know a dad aged 25 or under who would like to be part of it, now is the time to get in touch!
Dads Rock developed the idea when they realised there are hundreds of young dads in Edinburgh but there are very few opportunities for them to come together. By running these sessions, young dads will build friendships as well as a free bike!
Dads Rock National Development Officer David Marshall said: “To be given the funding by Big Lottery to support young dads is excellent – so send us the dads!
“This is a fantastic opportunity for young dads to come build a free balance bike – no experience is needed. We are always very keen to help promote, and if possible work, with other great agencies with our projects so we’re delighted to be working closely with Edinburgh Tool Library and RG Workshops to help both run the project and help supply all tools to enable our young dads to build their bikes.”
Chris Hellawell, Director of Edinburgh Tool Library, said: “ETL is delighted to be working with Dads Rock. Our aim is to make tools available for everyone, and by helping Dads Rock in their Build a Bike project, we are doing so. Our only regret is that the bikes will be too small for us to have a go on!”
RG Workshops co-founder Richard O’Connor added: “RG Workshops are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Dads Rock on this project. We are really looking forward to inspiring these young families to get creative.”
The workshops, which will take place weekly at WHALE Arts Agency in Wester Hailes, launch on 28 September, so if you know a dad aged 25 or under who would like to find out more then please contact David on 0131 442 4662 or 07542 084 356.
You can also get more information at
www.edinburghtoollibrary.org.uk/
Edinburgh gets playful!
Children set to invade Grassmarket for fun and games
The Grassmarket will be transformed into a giant children’s playground tomorrow (Wednesday) to promote play in the city.
The enclosed street in the Old Town will be transformed between 12.30pm and 4.30pm for Edinburgh’s Playday where there will be lots of family-friendly activities on offer including junk drumming, a mud kitchen, parachute games, magic potions, a giant sand pit, water play, and a cardboard city.
This will be the 15th year that the event has been held and every year gets bigger and more fun! Thousands of people, both young and old, have come along to join in activities on offer.
Playday is the national day for play, which is being celebrated next week. On Playday thousands of children and their families get out to play at hundreds of community events across the UK.
As well as a celebration of children’s right to play, Playday is a campaign that highlights the importance of play in children’s lives. It’s all about learning for life and showing that play is fun not just for the child but for adults as well.
Councillor Keith Robson, Play Champion for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Play is a massively important part of a child’s development and makes a tremendous contribution to happy and healthy childhoods. Children need freedom to play so they can practice skills, explore the world around them and develop understanding in their own way and in their own time. Real play comes from children’s need to express themselves, to explore, learn about and make sense of their world.
“Playing with your child is one of the most wonderful things about being a parent. It’s a vital part of the way babies and children grown and learn. The time you have fun together brings you closer, makes your child feel loved and secure, helps them develops elf-esteem and social skills.
“Our very popular Playday in the Grassmarket provides a fantastic opportunity to celebrate play and promote its many benefits as well as visiting one of the most picturesque areas of the city. I would recommend everyone comes along for what promises to be a fun-filled afternoon of play!”
Playday is part of the successful City of Edinburgh Council Play Strategy which states:
“Edinburgh aims to be a play friendly city where all children and young people can enjoy their childhood. They will have access to play opportunities in a range of different settings which offer variety, adventure and challenge. They will be able to play freely and safely and make choices about where, how and when they play.”
Other ongoing projects to promote play include the formation of the Edinburgh Play Forum – ‘Playful Edinburgh’, which is a partnership of voluntary groups and other organisations supporting play across the city. The forum were successful in gaining Inspiring Scotland Go2Play funding for Play Ranger projects which will run outdoor play sessions in eight sites across the city. The Edinburgh Play Ranger projects are organised by Smart Play Network, Canongate Youth Project, North Edinburgh Arts and Edinburgh Leisure. EPF members Dads Rock and The Yard will be adding to the exciting activities on offer at Playday.
Access to Edinburgh’s Playday is free but children should be accompanied by an adult.
For more information contact cf.play@edinburgh.gov.uk
The event has been organised by the City of Edinburgh Council, the Edinburgh Play Forum and many volunteers.
Dads Rock to take over museum on Father’s Day
Free family event at Museum in Chambers Street today
Today’s the day! The free event for all the family at Chambers Street Museum starts at 11am. See the link below for full programme details:
http://www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland/whats-on/fathers-day-family-takeover/
Free Father’s Day fun at the Museum
Award-winning charity Dads Rock is taking over the Museum in Chambers Street again for a Father’s Day festival of fun …
Great News!…along with our friends we’re heading back to the National Museum of Scotland (Museum) for more free fun on Father’s Day (21 June)!
After the success of last year, we’re hoping lots of families will once more come along. It’s open to all members of the family. It kicks off from 11am at the Chambers Street location.
See below for the programme of events, and let us know if you’ve any questions. We look forward to seeing you there!
The following people are running sessions for free, you can sign up on the day for activities:
Awesome Folk (Folk), Bookbug (bookbug), British Science Association (Science), Ceilidhkids (Ceilidh), Dads Rock (dads), Dads Rock Academy (academy), Easy Peasy Yoga (peasy), Edinburgh Sketcher (sketcher), Macastory (mac), Niki’s Balloons, Plant ‘n’ grow (grow), Step it up Dance (dance), Talking Tots (talk) and WHALE (whale)
Bring the whole family for an afternoon of time-travel with loads of free activities from the past, present and future!
Counselling at Royston Wardieburn
Dads Rock has introduced a new service for local people at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre (see below):
Mums know best – two awards for A-Star Sports!
A-Star Sports doubles up in MITK Awards
Over the last two months, local network Mums in the Know has been hosting its awards across the UK. After receiving over 3,000 nominations and 15,000 votes, the network of readers has decided on its favourite local activities for children – and A-Star Sports has won two awards: Best After School Activity Class and Best Class for 2 – 4 Year Olds.
Local organisation TRIM won the MITK Local Star category and Dads Rock was also commended.
The awards have highlighted the talents of Brian Droudge, owner of two A-Star Sports franchises, through a number of parents’ nominations showcased via the Mums in the Know website, which included being a finalist in a third category – MITK Local Star.
Brian said: “It’s so rewarding to have our coaching highlighted in such a positive way and means a great deal that people have taken the time to vote and given such amazing feedback, too. All of us in the Edinburgh team are passionate about what we do and we take a lot of pride in making physical activity and sport as fun, accessible and enjoyable as it can be.”
Having left school at 16, Brian spent the next 15 years working for large life assurance companies. He also played semi-professional football from the age of 18, as well as managed and coached at various clubs. He has now been coaching physical activity and sports to primary aged children for over ten years and has a great pride in seeing their skills and love of sports grow and develop. He explains: “For me, influencing children’s development on a weekly basis gives me a great buzz, job satisfaction and a very positive feeling about the work I do.”
Brian runs A-Star Sports in Edinburgh South & East, Midlothian and East Lothian as well as Edinburgh North, West and surrounding areas, and employs assistant coaches as part of his multi-sports specialist team.
Following the recent merger of A-Star Sports with leading children’s physical activity provider Sports Xtra, Brian and his team will shortly be introducing an additional range of local activities and ‘Xperiences’ for primary aged children.
Award-winning businesses receive a free article in the winners’ section of the MITK website, social media mentions, window stickers, logo and additional advertising offers.
Over 3000 nominations were received and 15,000 votes cast in this year’s Mums in the Know North Edinburgh Awards. The winners were:
Best Soft Play: Clambers at Royal Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh
with a special mention to Tumbles, Edinburgh Leisure and Tiki Tots who were also nominated.
Best Class for 0 -2 Year Olds: Monkey Music, Comely Bank Murrayfield and Corstorphine
And a special mention to Music with Jackie and Tinies with Daisy Foundation Edinburgh East who were also nominated.
Best Class for 2 – 4 Year Olds: A-Star Sports Edinburgh North, West and Surrounding Areas
And a special mention to Shuffle Dance Edinburgh and Sparkle Arts who were also nominated.
Best After School Activity Class: A-Star Sports Edinburgh North, West and Surrounding Areas
And a special mention to best Step It Up Dance and Zoo Arts Extra who were also nominated.
Best Place to Eat for Families: Pizza Express Stockbridge
And a special mention to Tony Macaroni, Omni Centre and Vittoria Group who were also nominated.
MITK Local Star: Tenants and Residents in Muirhouse (TRIM) ‘this group really go the extra mile to help the residents and local community’.
And a special mention to Brian Droudge, A-Star Sports Edinburgh North, West and Surrounding Areas and to Dads Rock who were also nominated.
Congratulations to you all!