Thread 1. Just sat in my garden reflecting on the first boy that inspired me to set up lads Need dads. He was my eldest sons best friend. His mum was an alcoholic and he never saw his dad. He was the kid at school with smelly clothes, head lice left to feed himself etc.

Thread 2. He had wide eyes was fun loving. I could not help taking him under our wing. Feeding him, de-nitting him. He was like another son. I took a lot of flack from his mum but it was worth it. We moved house and my son changed schools. He’s 19 now.

My thread 3 disappeared. Had a vivid dream yesterday about him and I was cutting his hair. He was one of the biggest inspirations for me setting up LND my heart was enlarged because of his young man. We can all do our bit for these young men.

Since then I realise having 3 sons, how our house seem to attract lads with no dads. I miss those opportunities now my boy’s are older. If you have pre-teen sons invite the ‘unpopular’ boy who is shunned at school because you have no idea what seeds you are sowing into his life.