The Dad La Soul network launched in 2017 with the mission of battling social isolation among fathers and has supported over 12,000 families through fun, creative events and by developing a community that acts as a safe space for open conversations.
However, in the autumn of 2024, founder Dan Flanagan was struggling to balance the books due to a slowdown in funding.
Dan Flanagan says:
“The funding landscape is tricky for all charities and community interest companies at the moment. There is more demand than ever, but less money to go around. At one point, we were dangerously close to having to turn out the lights and give up. With rising costs, it just wasn’t possible for us to plan for the future and that would have been a disaster for the dads who rely on our in-person and online events for support from their peers.”
With seemingly no other options available, the group launched a Crowdfunder campaign in December, asking its community for their help to raise £10,000 to keep Dad La Soul operational. Despite coming at a time when people’s budgets are stretched over the Christmas period, by 11th January, the group hit its £10,000 target.
Further good news came in mid-January, when two more funding bids came to fruition. Dad La Soul was awarded £19,800 from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, to support its events in Worthing and Brighton, as well as £4,400 from Comic Relief’s Community Fund, covering the group’s event manager and volunteer coordinator salaries for a year, both critical roles for delivering Dad La Soul’s supporting service for dads.
The group point out that traditional parenting services often exclude dads, focusing mainly on mothers. Dad La Soul takes a different approach, which Dan describes as a “Trojan Horse” strategy.
"We don’t just wait for dads to come to us—we meet them where they are. By embedding dad-friendly activities into spaces like art galleries, tech hubs and football clubs, we create environments where dads feel comfortable. They think they’re coming for a laugh or a skill, but they leave with a support network tackling their real issues," Dan explains.
Dad La Soul’s programming is innovative, addressing everything from postnatal depression and childhood trauma to addiction and suicide. The organisation’s playdates include stand-up comedy workshops, bushcraft sessions, and family raves, making them as unique as they are effective.
Dan says: “We are so grateful for the support of our community and from The National Lottery Community Fund and Comic Relief. It was close at one point, but now we can continue to work with dads and spread the message that men’s mental health is a vital topic that needs targeted support. Suicide remains the leading cause of death for men under 50, with male suicide rates three times higher than those of women. Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced the UK’s first-ever Men’s Health Strategy, which prioritises mental health and suicide prevention and we want to help by providing insights from our own work.”
Helen Bushell, Head of Regional Funding for London, the South East and East at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Thank to National Lottery players, we’re proud to support amazing projects like Dad La Soul that are highlighting the issue of men’s mental health. Their amazing work helps to bring men together to create connections and seek vital support from their peers.
“Our local, expert funding teams work with communities, responding to their unique needs – ensuring we support those in greatest need so they can live healthier lives.”
Find out more about Dad La Soul at dadlasoul.com