Dads Direct is a group which aims to promote the value of actively engaged fathers in their children’s lives.  It is comprised of representatives from Contact Centres, Family Mediation NI, Home-Start NI, Men’s Health Forum in Ireland, Parenting NI, Relate NI and Sure Starts.  Dads Direct is conducting a short online survey which seeks the views of policy makers, service providers, family work practitioners and dedicated father-workers.  The aim of this survey is to identify and collate information which can be used to inform and influence how fathers are supported in our society.  The findings will help to provide evidence of need, as well as address gaps in policy, practice, training and research.  The survey takes no longer than 10 minutes to complete, and the respondent will remain completely anonymous throughout.  To take part, visit: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/supportingdads

In January 2016, Minister for Health Leo Varadkar launched safefood’s ‘Weight-Mate’ App.  This App aims to help adults to lose weight in a healthy way through goal setting, planning to eat healthy, balanced meals, and regular exercise.  The App monitors exercise and nutrition goals, and motivates the user to accomplish these goals.  It features over 400 recipes developed by safefood’s nutritionists to cater for individual weight loss needs.  There is also a ‘Groups’ feature - for communities, workplace groups, families or friends to work together to achieve their goals.  ‘Weight-Mate’ is free to download for iPhone and Android.  For more details, visit: www.safefood.eu/Healthy-Eating/Weight-Loss/weight-mate.aspx

If you’re aged 50+ why not join Volunteer Now for a free bus trip with a difference, and spend a morning visiting a community allotment and a Men’s Shed in Belfast.  Each participant will also receive a goody bag, and the outing will end with a three course lunch.  There will be four trips: North Belfast (Tuesday 1st March), East Belfast (Tuesday 8th March), South Belfast (Tuesday 15th March) and West Belfast (Tuesday 22nd March).  Places are limited, and will be allocated on a first-come basis.  For more information / to book a place, contact Deirdre Murphy on Tel: 02890 232020.

On Wednesday 24th February 2016, Action Mental Health (AMH) will be hosting Northern Ireland’s first Mental Health Summit.  This event will focus on the future of mental health services, and will provide delegates with the opportunity to influence the Mental Health Strategy in Northern Ireland.  The DHSSPS has committed to considering the implementation of proposals developed at the Summit in advance of the forthcoming Programme for Government.  Attendees will be participants in workshop-style interactive group discussion.  AMH is looking for participants who will voice opinions, raise hard questions, and contribute to a working document which will be submitted to both the Minister for Health and his Department.  This Summit will take place in the Stormont Hotel, Belfast, and will run from 10.00am - 3.30pm.  To book a place, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

AWARE is hosting an exclusive lunch and question-and-answer session with Republic of Ireland Manager and former Northern Ireland Team Captain, Martin O’Neill.  This will take place on Thursday 10th March 2016, in The Everglades Hotel, Derry / Londonderry, from 1.00pm - 4.00pm.  To find out more, visit: www.aware-ni.org/events/lunch-and-q-a-with-martin-o-neill.html

In this new book, which draws upon data collected over an 18 year period with more than 1000 boys, Dr Ken Harland and Prof Sam McCready (Community Youth Work, Ulster University) provide a revealing insight into the lives and development of young men.  Examining the particular pressures that impact upon young men such as masculinity, marginalisation, male youth sub-culture, and what are acceptable and unacceptable levels of violence, they present the voices and experiences of men from a range of community backgrounds and cultural traditions in Northern Ireland.  To find out more, see: http://uir.ulster.ac.uk/32567

The Community Development and Health Network recently launched their new ‘Community Health Champions’ animation and video.  You can view these at: www.dropbox.com/s/6feulexzbilxc1e/Community%20Health%20Champions%20-%20FINAL%203.mov?dl=0 (video) and www.dropbox.com/s/c8ucz5pat8qgtou/CDHN%20Animation%20-%20FINAL%201%20.mov?dl=0 (animation).

As part of World Cancer Day (Thursday 4th February 2016), Cancer Focus Northern Ireland is urging all local MPs to support an Early Day Motion (EDM) at Westminster calling for adolescent boys to be given the HPV vaccination to help reduce the incidence of cancer.  The charity is also calling on the Department of Health at Stormont to introduce the measure.  The primary sponsor of the EDM is South Antrim MP Danny Kinahan, and six other local MPs have already supported this motion.  Human papilloma virus (HPV) is a very common sexually transmitted infection that can cause a range of cancers (cervical, vaginal, vulval, penile, anal, and oral) as well as genital warts.  There is already a vaccination programme for 12/13-year-old girls in place.  Cancer Focus says that extending the HPV vaccination to include adolescent boys is the optimal way to reduce preventable HPV related cancers - since, with every year that passes, 12,000 more boys in Northern Ireland are left unprotected against HPV-related diseases.  For more information on the campaign, visit: www.hpvaction.org