Dads group launches podcast to help more men

Dads Behaving Madly started in 2024 to offer support to men in the Scarborough area

A group set up to help and support dads in North Yorkshire has launched a weekly podcast.

Dads Behaving Madly, based in Scarborough, has grown from having just three members to more than 70 since it started last year.

Founder Graham Porter said he initially launched the group to offer support to fathers of children with disabilities or special educational needs in the area, but it was "open to everyone".

He said it had been a "dream" to start the podcast and hoped it would highlight the "amazing members and the grand job they do looking after their families".

The group meets monthly, organising events for members from surf sessions to macrame lessons, with the weekly podcast the latest addition to the support network.

Over the first seven episodes the group have discussed topics from parenting survival tips and dad jokes to mental health, looking after children with additional needs and male suicide.

Mr Porter said: "That was definitely one of the toughest talks, but it needs to be discussed."

He said he hoped the podcast would offer men another way to find out more about the group and help "break the ice".

"As we know, men are a nightmare for taking that first step and engaging, 'I'll do that next week or next month'," he said.

"But once they come, and we go for breakfast, beach sauna, wellness activity, they're like, 'this is well nice, I should've come last month', and I'm like, 'the main thing is mate, you're here'."

The group often meet at the beach for a swim or a coffee

Group member Matty Murray said he was "hesitant" about joining the group at first but thinks the community makes people feel connected and humbled.

"Graham held an event in the summer at Scarborough's North Bay, I took my kids along and I haven't looked back, it's been brilliant," he said.

"Mainly I just feel a bit humbled by situations the other dads are going through.

"Before you find that something it's hard to explain, and then you get involved with a community group like this and you just feel connected to everyone."

Mr Porter said being a dad was "never easy" and men could easily get swept up managing work and parenting, in particular those with a child with disabilities or special educational needs.

"The dads give each other free advice and support; it lightens the load on us and on local services," he said.

"It's working brilliantly."

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.