Fatherhood Fairly Media

2020 has been an extraordinary year. To add to the coronavirus, the world has been reckoning with the pandemic of racism, sparked by the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police. A global protest has followed, the scourge of racism discussed in the media and open forum. In the US federal leaders have acknowledged calls to scale back a militarised police. In the UK, statues have fallen and colonial scandals called out. But are we doing enough toward a truly progressive future?  A vocal leader and campaigner in London and the UK has been Andrez Harriott. A multi-million-selling musician with his group Damage, he's a criminologist, youth worker and founder of The Liminality Group working at the sharp end of youth offending and justice. Not your typical RnB star then! His social feeds have been an inspiration - frank discussions on race and justice, and a consistent call to keep the conversations going. Fatherhood first spoke to Andrez for the KERB Life food podcast, when he was helping young people gain work experience following incarceration. He's been an inspiration ever since. I joined Andrez over Zoom last week to talk about racism, justice, and how to confront the pain we feel, talk with our children about race and work toward a more inclusive future. And how people of colour can gain the reparations deserved - and the equality and safety which must become the norm. Follow Andrez's work at his company's website tlguk.co.uk and through his Twitter and Insta @andrezDMG. All through Black History Month he's been paying tribute to black leaders and innovators and highlighting names which deserve more recognition in our history books... Music by DJ Mandray for balancetwo (plus a snippet of that Damage Ghetto Romance beat and a clip of Samuel L Jackson reading James Baldwin in the excellent I Am Not Your Negro film https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000kbk6/arena-i-am-not-your-negro)

As the UK backs into another lockdown scenario, we've been asked to work from home again. Are there opportunities to be found in changing our work patterns en masse?  It's slow going, but the conversation around shared parenting and the stereotypical two weeks off then back to work for dad is evolving in recent years.  And the potential is clear - family cohesion, workplace equality, mental health, children's access to loving parents. This week we meet Ian Dinwiddy - who mentors stressed fathers toward a greater work / life balance through his company Inspiring Dads. Ian  Under discussion: expectations for fathers; dads providing (and indeed receiving) emotional care; shared parental leave; how to balance your own life - and of course the pandemic situation. Find Ian at inspringdads.co.uk and through his own podcast Lockdown Dads. Music by DJ Mandray. A Fairly Media production.  

All night crew! - dreamscape special coming your way... This one's a repost of a conversation I had with my son Samuel a few moons back. It felt quite apt as we talked about his dreams and nightmares -  and of course this current pandemic life has felt like a waking nightmare at times.  Plus lockdown sleeps have taken on a psychedelic tint for many of us - https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/lockdown-coronavirus-dreams-vivid-strange-sleep-emotional-state-a9486206.html But world crises or not, I've always been fascinated by what happens when you leave your kids' side and the lights go out - how do they cope in that liminal space, where do they go in their minds? It's a pretty vivid place if my son's dream is anything to go by... So join Fatherhood in the dreamscape, with music and sound design from DJ Mandray for balance two. We'll be back soon with some new recordings from weird and wonderful world of parenthood.

Summer holiday season is here and it's been scorching in the UK. And despite the pandemic (perhaps because of it?) British beaches have been packed. With half an eye on our suntan and the other half mindful of staying safe in the water, this week we're playing a story from Cornishman Malcolm Jones, retired lifeguard, lifetime surfer, father of three. We first published this a couple of years back before Fatherhood relaunched in lockdown, so pull up a deckchair and relax with the sounds of British Summertime, all recorded on the North Cornwall coast (wish we were there again this year..) Music by DJ Mandray for balancetwo, with additional guitar by Than Gill. Plus we've couple of snippets to help place Malcolm's story: Mr Sandman by Pat Ballard / I Feel the Earth Move by Carole King / Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf / The Jean Genie by David Bowie. Please support the RNLI www.rnli.org

This week we're joined by a father and son duo - Artyom and Andrew Liss.  It's fascinating to hear two generations discuss their relationship (amicably of course) while sitting side by side, even more so when you factor in life's twists and turns. Artyom was born and raised in Soviet-era Ukraine, effectively losing his father to illness while still a young man. Then his job in Moscow kept him away from Andrew, now 17, for long periods in his early years.  We talk parents, parenting, independence and how it is growing up between East and West with a strong Russian influence - one now felt across the globe, politically at least. Thanks to both for taking part - and if you'd like to hear more from Artyom so check out his own show on aviation (as a qualified pilot he's up in the sky whenever he can) - The Two Thousand Feet Aviation Podcast https://2kft.buzzsprout.com Music by DJ Mandray, and do find Fatherhood on social media for grownups @fatherhood_pod

Regular listeners will know we've an archive of episodes in the 'before time' - prior to relaunching since the pandemic and lockdown.  Our goal since has been to bring stories of value to look toward a better future for our kids. In that spirit, we've dusted off a recording from April 2019, joining Extinction Rebellion as they took control of Waterloo Bridge for a week of persistent protest against the climate crisis. With parents and kids alike, we discuss how the next generation's voice is inspiring many of us to consider the planet's health - and how we 'responsible' older folks can set our own example of taking a stand in the name of positive progress. For more info visit www.rebellion.earth, and I hope you enjoy the sounds of peaceful protest and togetherness recorded last year. Of course who knew what was to come?  But now everything has changed, and pollutive travel has ceased for example, perhaps the messages can finally get through? (though our sudden reliance on Amazon / online deliveries and all that packaging is troubling.) Here's to grasping the roots of change...