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Elliott Rae
Role in MFF: Founder & Editor-in-Chief
Location: Watford
Father of: a beautiful six year-old girl
Favourite album: currently Wizkid’s Made In Lagos – a classic!
Football team: the mighty QPR #ComeOnYouRrrrsssss!
Hobbies and interests: music, football and fatherhood (ironically). Apart from that I’m partial to a Netflix binge session and a glass of red wine.
Why you started the MFF team: the first few months of fatherhood were a whirlwind for me. I needed a space to express myself. At the time I didn’t know that so many other dads felt the same way but now I still have to pinch myself when I think about what MFF has become, the community we have grown, the content we have created and the amazing people I’ve been lucky enough to work with.
Biggest pet peeve: selfishness and an unwillingness to try and understand, and empathize, with other people’s lives and experiences
Highlight of the last 12 months: our book being published and the amazing support it’s received!
Read more about me, my experiences of PTSD and my career here.
Twitter: @MFFonline_ and @iamelliottrae
Instagram: @MFFonline_ and @iamelliottrae
Ian Doel
Role in MFF: Contributor
Location: Southsea
Occupation: Print Recruitment Owner
Father of: Late Teens, boy and girl
Favourite album: Hot Fuss, the Killers. Could have named 10 mood depending
Football team: Tottenham
Hobbies and interests: Anything sporty, taking part. Running, cycling, SUP, Travel, currently converting a van to a camper
Why you joined the MFF team: Help others, share and grow
Biggest pet peeve: Middle lane drivers
Highlight of the last 12 months: My son reaching 18
Twitter: @Iandoel1
Instagram: @Iandoel
Read Ian’s MFF article’s here.
ALaw
Role in MFF: Contributor
Location: London
Occupation: Teacher
Father of: 1 son
Favourite album: hard to narrow it down but today, I’m going with Terri Walker, Untitled
Football team: QPR as my local team growing up but I’m admittedly a casual fan
Hobbies and interests: writing, training, boxing, cooking, travel (not as often as I’d like now that I’m a dad) and politics
Why you joined the MFF team: to contribute to honest conversations about fatherhood that help to redefine the perception and role of the modern dad
Biggest pet peeve: poor hygiene and poor manners, there’s no excuse for either
Highlight of the last 12 months: the extent my son’s vocabulary has developed from single words to full sentences and having conversations
Twitter: @iamarionlaw
Instagram: @iamarionlaw
Read ALaw’s MFF article’s here.
James Cooke
Role in MFF: Contributor
Location: Kent
Occupation: Writer and editor
Father of: Toby and Myles
Favourite album: depends on the mood – Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park still ranks high though
Football team: New York Giants… and Crystal Palace
Hobbies and interests: Reading, writing, running and pro wrestling
Why you joined the MFF team: To join the community and spread the good word of fatherhood
Biggest pet peeve: People walking slowly in front of me
Highlight of the last 12 months: becoming a dad for a second time
Twitter: @thejamescooke
Instagram: @thejamescooke
Read James’ MFF article’s here.
Alec Grant
Role in MFF: Contributor
Location: Buckinghamshire
Occupation: Technology startup CTO & Consultant/Mentor
Father of: 2 boys aged 10 & 7
Favourite album: Erykah Badu – Baduizm
Football team: Aston Villa (if I was forced to choose, as I’m more into rugby)
Hobbies and interests: Sport, music, travel & food
Why you joined the MFF team: Share the fatherhood journey with others
Biggest pet peeve: Incorrect spelling or use of grammar in documents and emails even though we have spelling & grammar checkers!!
Highlight of the last 12 months: Level of personal growth
Twitter: @narratives4men
Instagram: @narratives4men
Read Alec’s MFF article’s here.
Ana Swartz
Role in MFF: Editor & Contributor
Location: Germany
Occupation: Founder of www.thehealerhiphop.com
Father of: one 17 year old son
Favourite album: Erykah Badu, Baduizm
Football team: my son and his friends
Hobbies and interests: singing, travel and food
Why you joined the MFF team: I interviewed Elliott on my podcast after I read his article about how he’s a black, married, educated and involved father and how he doesn’t exist in the media. I want to help change that.
Biggest pet peeve: when I answer questions with hip hop lyrics and the other person doesn’t understand!
Highlight of the last 12 months: staying in Lisbon for 3 weeks
Twitter: @thehealerhiphop
Instagram: @thehealerhiphop
Read Ana’s MFF article’s here.
Cal-I J. Muirhead
Role in MFF: Contributor
Location: London
Occupation: Creative Artist/Qualified teacher
Father of: Two beautiful children
Favourite album: Aijuswanaseing – Musiq Soulchild
Football team: Arsenal
Hobbies and interests: Piano, guitar, writing, reading, HIIT
Why you joined the MFF team: To make a positive contribution towards the conversation around parenthood especially for prospective, young fathers.
Biggest pet peeve: Rudeness
Highlight of the last 12 months: Receiving Arts Council funding to develop my creative practice
Twitter: @jonel1
Instagram: @caljonel
Read Cal-I’s MFF article’s here.
Toby Hazlewood
Role in MFF: Contributing writer specialising in topics related to parenting and co-parenting after divorce and life in a blended family
Location: Manchester, England
Occupation: IT Project Manager by day, Writer by night
Father of: Two daughters (20 and 16) from my first marriage, and two bonus kids (a son, 14 and daughter, 11) who came along with my second wife
Favourite album: Appetite for Destruction by Guns N’ Roses, Jimi Hendrix Live at Berkeley
Football team: Controversially, I’m not a fan of any particular team (or football generally) – but I’m a fan of sports generally.
Hobbies and interests: Aside from spending time spent with my family and writing, I also love to read fiction and non-fiction, hiking in the hills and working out at the gym regularly as well as road cycling.
Why you joined the MFF team: I’m excited to be able to reach a new audience to broaden awareness of co-parenting and ways for parents and kids alike to live a happier and more fulfilled life after divorce or separation of the family unit.
Biggest pet peeve: How to encourage my kids that there’s life beyond the screens of their phones while trying to use mine judiciously too!
Highlight of the last 12 months: Being invited to write an article for the Daily Telegraph on Birds Nest Co-parenting After Divorce, which led to an interview in the Daily Mail and then a radio interview on RTE Radio in Dublin on the same topic. I’m excited by the growing public interest in co-parenting and in finding better ways to parent our kids after divorce.
Twitter: @TobyHazlewood
Read Toby’s MFF article’s here.
Dan Dwamena
Role in MFF: Football Writer
Location: Lambeth
Occupation: Radio Presenter, Podcaster and Writer
Favourite album: 2Pac (Makaveli) – The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
Football team: Liverpool til I die!
Hobbies and interests: Football, Basketball, Music, playing Pool to name a few
Why you joined the MFF team: El said if I do not join, then there will be consequences! No, really I saw the vision from early, there was a gap in the market that needed to be filled.
Biggest pet peeve: People who do not have manners. Manners do not cost anything
Highlight of the last 12 months: Liverpool winning their 6th European Cup
Twitter: @DubulDee
Instagram: @DubulDee
Dumi Nkomo / NkomoKaptures
Role in MFF: Head of Video content
Location: London
Occupation: Videographer
Favourite album: at the moment it’s J Hus’ ‘Big Conspiracy’ but it changes every week!
Football team: Manchester United
Hobbies and interests: watching and playing boxing and football. Photography and Videography.
Why you joined the MFF team: to support the open discussions between fathers
Biggest pet peeve: when I travel to Tescos and they have no white chocolate cookies in stock!!!! (I’m not an addict)
Highlight of the last 12 months: managing to get my media business running
Twitter: @nkomokaptures
Instagram: @nkomokaptures
Watch Dumi’s creative MFF work here.
Sam Draper
Role in MFF: Contributor
Location: London
Occupation: Stay-at-home Dad, part-time Teacher and facilitator, founder of The London Bookman
Father of: one girl and one boy, both under 4
Favourite album: Pearl Jam – Ten
Football team: Liverpool FC
Hobbies and interests: reading, cooking, rugby, football, playing guitar, reading, and did I mention books (I like books!)
Why you joined the MFF team: to share my experience of Shared Parental Leave and stay-at-home Dadness, and to learn from everyone else’s varying approach to the same wonderful challenge – parenting.
Biggest pet peeve: arrogance with ignorance
Highlight of the last 12 months:
Twitter: @alondonbookman
Instagram: @thelondonbookman
Read Sam’s MFF article’s here.
James Roach
Role in MFF: Contributor
Location: Watford
Occupation: Content Manager
Father of: 1
Favourite album: E1999 Eternal – Bone Thugs n Harmony
Football team: Arsenal
Hobbies and interests: Muay thai kickboxing, making music, video games, movies
Why you joined the MFF team: I saw an article from Elliot which really spoke to me as a new father and I made contact as it looked like a movement I wanted to be a part of
Biggest pet peeve: People not saying thanks when you open a door for them
Highlight of the last 12 months: Moving to a new home and being able to give my son a bedroom I would have dreamed of as a child
Twitter: @MIDLOmusic
Instagram: @midlo_music
Read James’ MFF article’s here.
Peter Kawalek
Role in MFF: Contributor
Location: Derbyshire
Occupation: Professor
Father of: Cait & Natassia
Favourite album: Blinking Lights & Other Revelations by the Eels
Football team: Galway United!
Hobbies and interests: Cycling (bad), travel, books, serious stuff
Why you joined the MFF team: Being a father is the biggest thing
Biggest pet peeve: Gotta tidy up this nation, make it like Denmark
Highlight of the last 12 months: Happy with the humble stuff … cafes, walks, picking up the girls from the railway station
Twitter: @kawalek
Read Peter’s MFF article’s here.
Jermaine Smith / The Smith Family
Role in MFF: Contributor
Location: South East
Occupation: Senior Tutor, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
Father of: A Daughter and a Son
Favourite Songs: this is a difficult one so I’ll list a couple. Talib Kweli ‘Never Been in Love’, Marvin Gaye ‘Sexual Healing’, Luther Vandross ‘If this World Were Mine’, Playa ‘Cheers 2 U’, Common ‘The Light’.
Football team: this is a sticky one at the moment – it’s been downhill since the invincibles
Hobbies and interests: Athletics, gym, rum and fashion, cooking / BBQ and spending time with family and friends
Why you joined the MFF team: I’ve know Elliott since University, he asked me to get involved with MFF to share my experience and skills from working with children and families to support people to bring around change in their life
Biggest pet peeve: People not washing their hands when they go to the toilet
Instagram: @The_Jerms _Family_ Guy
Read Jermaine’s MFF article’s here.
Machel Hewitt
Role in MFF: Contributor
Location: South London
Occupation: Teacher/Sports Journalist/Podcaster
Father of: 1 daughter
Favourite album: Fugees – The Score
Football team: Bromley
Hobbies and interests: Football & Cricket (writing/presenting)
Biggest pet peeve: Right-wing media
Highlight of the last 12 months: Watching my daughter grow up
Twitter: @mashstpaddy
Instagram: @mashstpaddy
Read Machel’s MFF article’s here.
Matt Brown
Role in MFF: Social Media Manager
Location: Essex
Occupation: Relationship Manager, Finance
Father of: Avery
Football team: Manchester United
Hobbies and interests: video editing, designing, music, football, computer games and technology
Why you joined the MFF team: to support other dads who would like support and not to feel alone in the highs and lows of fatherhood
Biggest pet peeve: rude people
Highlight of the last 12 months: the birth of my child
Twitter: @mbcre8tion
Instagram: @mbcre8tion
Philip Robinson
Role in MFF: contributor to topics on literature, music and life
Location: Manchester
Occupation: Technology Architect
Father of: a daughter and son
Favourite album: Snarky Puppy’s ‘Sylva’
Football team: Manchester City (maybe)
Hobbies and interests: music composition, storytelling and running
Why you joined the MFF team: to contribute and engage in progressive discussions around parenting, that would help broaden the narrow perceptions of fatherhood. Very keen to discuss the role of children’s literature and technology in education.
Biggest pet peeve: inconsideration
Highlight of the last 12 months: presenting my book “Nia and the Kingdoms of Celebration” on Radio Manchester’s “Bad Parents Club” and contributing to Dad book
Twitter: @phildmusic
Instagram: @kingdomsofcelebration
Read Philip’s MFF article’s here.