A father’s online group turns lonely evenings into new friendships
When Callum Jarvis found fatherhood lonely, he wondered whether other dads felt the same. Three weeks after starting Dads After Bedtime in Peterborough, his social media group had grown to around 350 members.
It welcomes fathers, stepfathers and grandfathers, giving them a place to talk before meeting in person. A first play-and-chat gathering at Ferry Meadows brought families together; members told the BBC they were making friends and finding people who understood their lives.
The need extends beyond one city. An earlier YouGov survey commissioned by Home-Start UK found that 17% of fathers rarely or never had meaningful conversations with other adults outside their household.
The group is young, and membership numbers do not tell us whether loneliness will fall over time. So far, the evidence comes from participants’ experiences.
Even at this early stage, the online invitation has led to people spending time together. For dads who had been missing that company, an ordinary conversation is a useful place to start.
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