Published: 12/02/2021
Lads need dads
Lads Need Dads was nominated by our member Roy Steward. As an award winning, not-for-profit company which is based in Tendring, the group was set up to prevent potential problems and address existing ones where boys are missing a father-figure in their lives, their belief is that prevention is crucial in reducing the growing number of boys coming from fatherless homes who under achieve at school, struggle with mental health, are excluded from school or engage in offending behaviour. They achieve this by providing male-led group mentoring programs, bush-craft survival training, outdoor activities, life-skills training, volunteering opportunities, leadership and Peer mentoring.
Shortly after the committee met (via zoom of course) I contacted Sonia Shaljean who founded and runs Lads Need Dads to let her know of our intended donation. Sonia mentioned that some of the boys are in need of laptops, obviously due to the current situation with home-schooling to be without one is extremely detrimental. As luck would have it, Roy runs a computer support business in Colchester (http://www.tcssupport.co.uk) and has come to the rescue, he has generously refurbished some unwanted laptops free of charge meaning that not only can we equip the boys with the machines they need but can still make our donation to give Lads Needs Dads extra funds to spend on the boys as and when they need to.