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People living in the North
report better relationships with mums than dads
RESEARCH by Relate, the leading
relationships charity, has found that people in the North of England are less
likely to report a very good relationship with their dads than with their mums.
In the poll of over 5,000 people across the UK aged 16+, only 47% of people in
the North of England reported a very good relationship with their dads, compared
to 55% with their mums.
In addition, 6% of respondents described their relationship with their dads as
fairly bad and 3% described it as very bad. This compares to 5% who described
their relationship with their mums as fairly bad and 1% who described it as very
bad.
In response to these findings, and with Father's Day just around the corner,
Susie Woods, counsellor at Relate Cheshire & Merseyside says there are things
both fathers and children can do to enhance their relationships with one
another. She said:- "Every dad's different, but some can find it tricky to
express their emotions, which can affect the way their children perceive the
relationship. Sometimes, fathers may try to show they care by offering help with
practical things like finances or driving lessons, but shy away from providing
emotional support. This means people may feel closer to their mum than their
dad, when in fact their relationship with their dad is just as strong. I'd
advise fathers who're struggling to communicate with their kids to take a few
more risks; tell your teenage son that you're there to talk if he ever needs to,
or give your grown up daughter a hug. It may feel uncomfortable to start with if
you haven't always been this open, but it's never too late to start and it'll
show your kids how much you really care. The same goes for children; even as
adults, tell your dad how much you care this Father's Day and other days of the
year as well."
Susie Woods's tips for better communication with dads...
► Notice actions as well as words: Some dads do things rather than say them. Maybe
your dad doesn't tell you he loves you but he shows he cares by reminding you to
wear your bike helmet or helping you to move house.
► Take more risks; Share how you're really feeling with
1 another, even if it
seems unnatural at 1st.
► Make use of technology like:- Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook, texting and other social
media give you more ways to keep in touch with each other and express emotion
even when you don't live together. It may be easier to write something rather
than say what you feel.
► Have a regular meet up; It sounds obvious, but spending quality time together
enhances bonds between dads and their children. Make it a regular event, whether
it's Sunday lunch or watching the football together.
► Don't stop trying; Remember that we all have the ability to learn new skills and
improve the way we communicate with one another, no matter what our age or
gender.
Relate Cheshire and Merseyside offers information, advice and counselling for all
stages of relationships, including helping families to build and maintain strong
relationships. For more information visit:-
Relatecm.Org.UK
or call:- 0300 330 5793. |
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SingMe Merseyside's
community spirit resonates around Barnstondale
SINGME Merseyside who are a community
group that offers musical, creative and performance activities; held its
bimonthly SingMe Together fundraiser in aid of, and at, Barnstondale Activity
Centre, on 11 June 2015, which raised £800. Barnstondale is currently
fundraising to pay for an improved MUGA (Multi Use Games Area) concourse and the
amount donated will contribute significantly to the required total.
Around 100 people attended the choral, coffee and cake morning, where they
enjoyed the choir's performance in Barnstondale's recently upgraded conference
room. The morning's entertainment was made complete by a guest appearance from Barnstondale's mascot, Barnie Owl, who was an absolute hoot! Supporters
contributed towards fundraising through ticket payments and a raffle.
SingMe Merseyside's activities range from evening singing club classes and
afternoon tea sing-a-longs to workplace singing and activity sessions. The
community group's clubs include a drama club, breakfast club and coffee club,
which it provides in conjunction with Starbucks. The SingMe Together meetings
are a chance for all members of SingMe Merseyside to meet as one to socialise,
perform and find out more about the wider range of services the group offers.
Each SingMe Together is also a fundraiser, aimed at building relationships with
the local community, and a different charity benefits every time. This month was
the turn of Barnstondale.
Barnstondale Centre is an overnight getaway destination and activity centre
situated in the village of Barnston, Wirral. It serves many purposes and caters
to the needs of people of all abilities. Its facilities include three large log
cabins (used for accommodation), a sports hall, conference room, climbing and
abseiling wall, rifle shooting and archery range, outdoor MUGA and over 12 acres
of woodland. Despite being a commercial enterprise, the charity relies on
fundraising and charitable donations to cover its capital investment costs.
Barnstondale has a long history of being a safe escape for inner-City children,
providing a rare opportunity for them to enjoy the outdoors and learn associated
skills, such as rope knots and river crossing.
Commented Heidi Hughes, Business Director at Barnstondale:- "The MUGA
(Multi Use Games Area) is a core feature of our site, both in terms of its
location and its purpose. It enables groups to play numerous games in a safe
environment and it is used on a daily basis. Since it was 1st installed in 2009,
wear and tear has caused colours to fade on the surface and the lines have
become less prominent. The proceeds from this concert will contribute
significantly to the fundraising for this project, which will help ensure the
visiting children from Merseyside continue to enjoy the safe play outdoors. A
lot of people don't realise that we are a charity, and so the vast majority of
our fundraising is through grants. It's very exciting to be welcoming community
fundraising to our schedule of activities and we're very grateful to SingMe
Merseyside for choosing to support Barnstondale."
For more information on how you can fundraise for Barnstondale, contact Heidi
Hughes on:- 0151 648 1412 or email:-
heidi@barnstondale.org.
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