Every week, thousands of fathers face one of the hardest moments of parenthood — the hugs are over, the car seats are empty, the house falls silent. This is the moment Dads Love CIC exists for.
Figures marked "target" are Year 1 goals for our first full year of delivery, not numbers already reached.
Real, live activity today — not concept, not planned, actually running.
Our fortnightly wellbeing support calls have started — fathers joining from home for peer support and conversation.
Our first regular in-person event is up and running — Super Sunday Dad Nights at The Alchemist, Canary Wharf.
Six ways in. No referral required, no means test, no judgement at the door.
Fortnightly, free, dads on the pitch alongside their kids — daily during school holidays.
Structured sessions with a qualified coach, fathers training alongside their children.
Free, low-cost shared experiences for the whole family, every month.
Eight full-day events a year — food, sport and activity, free to attend.
Trackside experience days for fathers and children — karting, simulators, food and drink.
A calm, low-pressure way for fathers and children to spend a day together.
Small fortnightly online groups timed around the toughest moment — handing children back.
Group walks through open countryside — fresh air, real conversation, and a shared sense of achievement.
What's real today, and what we're building toward in Year 1.
Fathers supported — Year 1 target
Children reached — Year 1 target
Bank Holiday Family Days planned per year
Community events planned per year
Core programmes at launch
Founder's real coaching experience
Real community followers online today
Live venue today — The Alchemist, Canary Wharf
Richard McMullen's daughter lives in Vienna. Every fortnight, he makes the journey — because showing up is what fathers do, even when the distance is real and the cost is high.
That experience is why Dads Love CIC exists — so no father has to face the quiet moments alone. Richard founded Dads Love CIC as a Community Interest Company to turn that personal experience into structured, professional support for fathers everywhere.
The need behind Dads Love CIC, in numbers.
Fathers lose meaningful contact with their children within two years of separation.
The North East has the highest suicide rate of any English region — one of the reasons we're expanding into Teesside.
The estimated annual cost of family breakdown to UK public services.
Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50 in the UK — Mayor of London / London Assembly, 2025.
Of NHS Talking Therapies referrals are men (2023–24) — the biggest barrier isn't a lack of services, it's men not accessing them.
Growth in lone-father families in the UK, from 394,000 (2014) to 530,000 (2024) — ONS.
No referral, no assessment, no financial barrier — fathers can join at any level.
Led by founder Richard McMullen, an FA Playmaker qualified coach. Fortnightly during term time, scaling to daily during school holidays. Dads are on the pitch alongside their children at every session — never just watching.
Structured sessions led by a qualified paid boxing coach. Discipline, focus and confidence-building for fathers and children who don't connect with football — training together, not observing.
Fortnightly Zoom groups led by Mindy Tagliente, timed specifically for the period after fathers return their children to the other parent — covering separation, isolation, co-parenting and self-leadership, with a clear pathway to NHS support where needed.
At least 24 community events a year across our delivery areas — free cinema nights and seasonal family gatherings, with transport provided where needed.
Eight full-day events a year — one on every UK bank holiday — combining football, boxing and community time, with hot food for every family courtesy of Anthony Jeffrey's Smash N Grabz. No ticket price, no referral required.
A structured 10–12 week one-to-one or small-group programme with Richard McMullen as lead mentor — genuine peer support rooted in shared lived experience, covering confidence, communication and co-parenting.
Dads Love CIC is proud to be in partnership with the following organisations.
We're in partnership with The Alchemist, Canary Wharf — a valued venue partner supporting Dads Love CIC events, hosting and backing get-togethers for fathers in the community, with a discount on food and drink at every event we hold there.
What's next for Dads Love CIC.
Our next major goal is dedicated premises — a gym, cinema room, wellbeing space and community office — giving fathers a stable, identifiable home rather than relying on hired venues.
Daily football and boxing camps during Easter, summer and Christmas holidays, with food provided at every session, so no family goes without during the school break.
Today, we're delivering Wellbeing Zoom calls and Super Sunday Dad Nights at The Alchemist, Canary Wharf. From here, we're planning to expand into Teesside and the wider North East — a region with the highest suicide rate in England.
Beyond the core programmes, we run bigger experiences for dads and kids to look forward to.
Trackside experience days for fathers and children — a proper treat, and a memory that lasts.
Short breaks away together, giving dads and kids uninterrupted time outside the usual routine.
A calm, low-pressure way for fathers and children to spend a day together, no talking required.
Everything you need to assess Dads Love CIC, in one document.
Our full funding pack covers our story, team, programme delivery, theory of change, governance and budget — built specifically for funders and grant assessors.
View Our Funder PackWe track attendance, engagement and outcomes across every session we run, and keep our overheads low so more of every pound reaches fathers and families directly. Questions? Email hello@dadslove.org.
This is what full delivery looks like once funding lands — every programme running, every dad with somewhere to belong.
No referral required. Every dad belongs here.
