Introduction
Contents
The Voices of Four Fathers is the result of a programme of poetry workshops facilitated by the poet Mike Garry with a group of fathers from across the city.
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The aim of the workshops was to have fun with words, poetry, language and communication. What came out these sessions was a unique dynamic of men talking openly about their trials and tribulations of Fatherhood. Tears were shed in joy, sadness and frustration and what came out of these workshops was a sense of shared journey and a realisation that sometimes there are no right or wrong answers.
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Four Fathers Four Fathers Four Fathers Four Fathers Four Fathers Four Fathers Four Fathers
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Sorting Out Me Boy Sat down and wrote a poem About my son’s training plan Who What Where
Top Ten Tips on How to be a Good Dad (Kids opinions)
A journey We do We are We are We will provide you with a stepping-stone A support session If you don’t ask You don’t get And if you don’t know what to ask for You still don’t get it Neil Poem
1. Cos you love me. 2. Cos you care about me 3. Cos you made me 4. You help me grow up 5. You’re always there for me 6. Your dead, dead funny 7. You make things right 8. Help me stay out of trouble 9. You’re Special 10. You look after me 11. You love me 12. You’re always there when I need something mending 13. You’re always there when I need some advice 14. Always there to make things right
Top Ten Tips on How to be a Good Dad (Dad’s opinions)
In Us All
1. Be a listener 2. A provider 3. Be firm and confident with your kids 4. Instill discipline – set boundaries 5. Be honest 6. Be a friend 7. Show love 8. Play 9. Be interested in what they do 10. Protect them.
There have also been times when I have been sad Sad at somethings that have made me happy and mad Sad when I can’t hear my kids shout “Dad” Sad at the birds in the trees with the freedom I never had
There have been times I’ve been happy So far away from the sad Happy at the birds in the trees And hearing my boy shout the word “dad” Happy at little things that don’t make me feel sad There have also been times when I have been mad Mad at my boys even when they say “Dad” Mad at the things that make me feel sad Mad at the birds in the tree at 6am when they wake a sleeping dad
These heartfelt emotions I know we all have Stefan Proverbs
Haiku’s Marlon, son, dad friend Antonio friend dad son Lee being dad Dad Bald head dread of my dad Blue, his team Plenty of kids Smokes enough spliff daily Marlon
Do You Get Me Do You Really Understand The response arrives I’m sorry there is no place for your sons education An absolute disgrace My dad calls again “Everything alright son”? He goes through the names He’ll never really know He’ll never understand Anon
Happiness smiles and cries Stefan Antonio Proverbs Feels alive inside Fathers creating Sweet children like we Loveing all of me. Stefan Eyes like Ireland Love in total silence I hear you everyday Anon
Sitting thinking to myself Don’t know what to do today Fix the car and get away Without my dad I wouldn’t be here So I thank you dad for being there Anon
Things to do with the kids (days out for free) Museums Manchester Museum 250 Oxford Road Manchester, M13 0161 275 2634 manchester.ac.uk Urbis Cathedral Gdns Manchester, M4 3BG 0161 605 8200 urbis.org.uk
The Gallery Of Costume Wilmslow Rd Manchester, M14 5LL 0161 224 5217 manchestergalleries.org Museum of Science and Industry MOSI Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester M3 4FP Tel: 0161 832 2244
Imperial War Museum Trafford Wharf The Quays, Manchester M17 1TE 0161 836 4000 iwm.org.uk Greater Manchester’s Museum of Transport Boyle Street Manchester, M8 0161 205 2122 gmts.co.uk
Hat Works 1 review - Write a review Wellington Mill Wellington Rd South, Stockport, SK3 0EU 0161 480 8735 hatworks.org.uk
Bury Art Gallery Museum & Archives 1 review - Write a review Moss St Bury, BL9 0DF 0161 253 5878_ bury.gov.uk
Salford Museum & Art Gallery 2 reviews - Write a review Peel Pk Salford, M5 4WU 0161 778 0800 0161 736 2649 salford.gov.uk
Ordsall Hall 2 reviews - Write a review 322 Ordsall Lane Salford, M5 3EL 0161 872 0251_ salford.gov.uk
Portland Basin Museum 2 reviews - Write a review Portland Pl Ashton-under-Lyne, OL7 0QA 0161 343 2878 tameside.gov.uk how to get there
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By car, there are signs from A635 Ashton By-pass (Park Parade). Drivers will need to locate the roundabout halfway along the Ashton by-pass (near Asda), drive westwards towards Manchester and turn second left into Welbeck Street, following this straight ahead and the museum is on the left. There are signposts for pedestrians from the centre of Ashton or the Museum can be reached via the canal towpath. Nearest bus stops are at Chester Square (Stockport Road and Manchester Road) or Cavendish Street (outside Asda).
how to get there
Continued Art Galleries Manchester Art Gallery Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3JL Tel: 0161 235 8888 www.manchestergalleries.org
The Art Surgery 0161 819 2888 www.theartsurgery.co.uk Castlefield Gallery 0161 832 8034 www.castlefieldgallery.co.uk
The Whitworth Art Gallery 0161 275 7450 www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk
Philips Art Gallery 0161 834 6928 www.philipsartgallery.com
Manchester Craft and Design Centre 0161 832 4274 www.craftanddesign.com
Richard Goodall Gallery 0161 834 3330 www.richardgoodallgallery.com
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Cube 0161 237 5525 www.cube.org.uk
Buses Trams see The Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive for offers for day rovers etc
go to:
www.gmpte.com
or:
2 Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BG If you would like information about a public transport service, please call the Travelline number below. Tel: 0161 244 1000 (9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday) Email: customer.relations@gmpte.gov.uk
Walks Alderley Edge Ashworth Valley Beacon Fell Country Park Boggart Hole Clough Bollin Valley Bruntwood Park Burnley Way Burrs Country Park Chadkirk Farm Trail Cheesden Brook Chorlton Water Park Croal Irwell Valley Daisy Nook Country Park Debdale Park Etherow Country Park Forest of Burnley Fred Perry Way Goyt Valley Healey Dell Hollingworth Lake Hyndburn Clog Jumbles Country Park Medlock Valley Mersey Valley Moses Gate Country Park
Pennington Flash County Park Piethorne Valley Redesmere Lake Red Rose Forest Ramblers Association Rochdale Group Styal Country Park Swallows Wood Tandle Hill Country Park Tame Valley Three Sisters Country Park Trafford Ecology Park Urmston Meadows Werneth Low Country Park Witton Weavers Way Woodbank Park Worthington Lakes For more detailed information on these walks check out www.manchester2002uk.com/daytrips/out/countryside
Things to do with the kids (With a few pound) Beaches Blackpool, Formby, Lytham St Annes, Southport, Morecambe North Wales (Colwyn Bay/ Prestatyn etc) 2 Chester Zoo 2 Knowsley Safari Park 2 Fishing 2 Manchester Big Wheel The YHA Are brilliant for families. Don’t think of grubby cold damp dorms – hostels are changing and they are luxurious - check them out at www.yha.org.uk and discover how you can have top short breaks and holiday and not cost an arm and a leg. www.yha.org.uk Karting 2000 27 Froxmer Street, Gorton, Manchester M18 8EF. Tel: 0161 231 2000. www.indoorkarting.co.uk.
Cycling Plus other sports at sports city www.eis2win.co.uk Manchester Climbing Centre St. Benedict’s Church Bennett Street Manchester M12 5ND Telephone: 0161 230 7006 info@manchesterclimbingcentre. com Swimming Check out all manchester pools including: The Manchester Aquatics Centre, 2 Booth Street East Ardwick, Manchester M13 9SS Tel: 0161 275 9450 www.manchesterswimming.co.uk
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Cooking Recipes to do with the Kids Fresh Veggie Pizza What you need: 1 ready made pizza crust 8 oz package cream cheese at room temperature 1 cup sour cream 1 envelope powdered Ranch dressing mix 2 cup raw vegetables, chopped fine (we use broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes) What you do: Bake the pizza crust, without toppings, at 350 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Stir together the cream cheese, sour cream, and dressing mix. Spread this on the crust. Top with your favourite vegetables.
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Brownie Favorites (6 Wedges) What you need: 2 1/2 tablespoons Sugar 1 teaspoons Oil 1/8 teaspoons Vanilla extract 4 teaspoons Chocolate syrup 2 tablespoons Plus 1 teaspoons Flour What to do: Stir together sugar, oil, vanilla, chocolate and flour until the batter is smooth and chocolate colored. Pour batter into greased and floured pan. Bake 15 minutes. When cool, cut them into wedges or little squares. Makes 6 wedges or 1/2 inch squares.
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Old School games to Play 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Monopoly Scrabble Chess/draughts Frustration Buckeroo Cluedo Kerplunk Mouse trap Connect 4 Hungry Hippo
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Operation Snakes and Ladders Battleships Etchasketch Guess who Tiddly Winks
Top Ten Books for over 10s Kill Swap by James Lovegrove “Fast action crime”
The Spook’s Apprentice by Joseph Delaney “Fantasy spectacular”
Bloodline by Kevin Brooks “Stunning thriller”
Love That Dog by Sharon Creech “A young lad discovering that poetry is cool”
Dream On by Bali Rai “Football and friendships” The House of Lazarus by James Lovegrove “Thought provoking/family relationships”
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli “A beautifully written parable about daring to be a little different” Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce “Irresistable”
Twin Freaks by Paul Magrs “Funny, celebrity - maybe more mum/daughter” Loving April by Melvin Burgess
Reading is a great way to engage with your kids. No matter what age they are you can always read something to them
Top Poetry Books to read with kids
For older children aged 6 to 12
Heard it in the Playground by Janet and Alan Ahlberg
Mustard, Custard, Grumble Belly & Gravy by Michael Rosen. Poems with really mad wordplays to very tender, sensitive ones.
Here’s A Little Poem edited by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters. A Very First Book Of Poetry Nonsense Nursery Rhymes by Richard Edwards. Guaranteed to make older children, as well as the very young, chuckle. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson & illustrated by Axel Scheffler. It’s a classic, with its hilarious rhymes, a sense of suspense and the surprise twist at the end.
Bartholomew and the Bug by Neal Layton. This is a delightful, quirky tale of friendship. Here’s A Little Poem edited by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters. A lovely first poems book. The Ice Cream Carpet by Peter Sansom It’s fantastic, lively and thought-provoking and absolutely doesn’t ‘dumb down’. Animals Aboard! by Andrew Fusek Peters. There is a party on the train and all the animals are jumping aboard with their instruments. Stroke the Cat by Wes Magee. Full of action rhymes and great pictures. Where The Wild Things by Maurice Sendak. The more I read this, and the Gruffalo, the better they get!
Omba Bolomba by Gerard Benson
The Poetry Chest by John Foster 250 of Johns best poems collected together. This Is The Blackbird by John Mole
To Catch an Elephant by Gerard Benson
Wanted Alive by Bernard Young. Some great poems.
Swinging Through the Sky by Kate Williams.
Behind the Staffroom Door by Brian Moses.
A Caribbean Dozen by John Agard & Grace Nichols The Hat by Carol Ann Duffy
For teenagers Eragon by Christopher Paolini A stirring fantasy of epic proportions
Words on a Faded T-Shirt by Norman Silver
Love Poems chosen by Fiona Waters. Wishing for it, waiting for it, being in it, falling out of it, finding it, losing it, longing for it, grieving for it...
For Grown-ups Emergency Kit Poems for Strange Times. Edited by Jo Shapcott and Mathew Sweeney The Other Day by John Mole Black Moon by Matthew Sweeney Haunting fables of entrapment or imprisonment. Song Man by Will Hodgkinson The Book of Celtic Verse a Treasury of Poetry, Dreams and Visions
Four Fathers by Tom Palmer (Author) James Nash (Author) John Siddique (Author) Ray French (Author)
Agencies that support parenting Manchester Sure Start Sure Start is the government programme to deliver the best start in life for every child. It brings together early education, childcare, health and family support.
PYTIM Operate courses where parents of teenagers meet once a week for 8 weeks to discuss their problems and listen to the advice and support on dealing with their teenager.
www.manchesterchildren.org.uk
www.parentingyourteen.co.uk
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