So I get this question a lot, why Stormtoopers? Well it all begin when I was asked to help design a flyer for a local dads group. I was 20mins into my google image hunt when it occurred to me that all the images of dads that I had seen fit neatly into one of two categories; Doofus Dad -Stereotypically clueless, Homer Simpson dads. Super Dad -Idyllic images of father and son shaving and throwing children in the air. Now I like throwing my child in the air and I love the Simpsons, but I felt a bit cheated. I am a dad and I am not a perfect father but I am also not a doofus dad. My search had left me feeling disheartened to say the least and then I stumbled across Stefan Le Du’s Stormtroopers 365.
Stefan started his project on April 3rd, 2009 and has taken a photo almost everyday since. The photos I selected from his project capture the ordinary events in the life of a Stormtrooper dad. Setfan's work got me thinking, how can we better represent fathers? We are repeatedly told by academics and scientists that dads play a crucial role in their child's social and emotional development. So how can we create a new image of fatherhood, one that values dads whilst acknowledging that we are only human? The seed was planted and in December, 2015 Bristol Dads was born. Together with Oliver Cain and a small team of dad volunteers we hope to share our experiences and resources for all dads and male carers. Everyone is welcome to contribute to our project and we would love to get your ideas and feedback. If you would like to buddy up with an expectant or new dad, volunteer at a local dads group or help with any of our current projects please get in touch.