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Peter Keil
transforming lives
through
• dialogue,
• counselling,
• naturopathy
• and comedy
By appointment only
02 6685 8487
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Personalised chocolates for the special
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CHARACTER FIRST! ®
Strong Values
and Good
Character is
something we all
hope our children
possess.
Whether you’re a
parent or teacher
Character First is here to help you. To
find out more see our website at
www.characterfirst.com.au
(03) 5253 3272
Watch this space for details of seminars in
Sydney later this year.
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The birthing of
the
FATHERHOOD
By Suzanna Freymark, Photography by Christabelle Baranay
Colin George is a father of five.
He ran away from fathering
his first two children. ‘I was
scared and didn’t know how
to be the father I never had,’ he said. He
was just seven years old when his own
father died. It was a defining moment in
his life as a boy growing up in Brighton,
England.
Colin describes the three children he
lives with in northern NSW as giving
him indescribable joy. ‘I’ve finally taken
on the responsibility of being a father.’
Three years ago he attended a
Pathways to Manhood camp with his
twelve-year-old son, Daniel, and spent
a week living rough with men and
boys. He was inspired by the contribution
Pathways made in guiding boys on
their journey to manhood and, one day,
fatherhood.
‘I was particularly moved by the
generosity of the men towards the boys
that were not of their blood. Some were
stepfathers, some family friends, others
brothers-in-law and uncles. I realised
that as a man I have a responsibility
towards all our boys and as a father
towards all the sons and daughters in
our community.’
He wanted to contribute in some
way and he knew it would be through
his music. He wrote a song called Rage
that described his ‘locked up’ feelings
about the death of his father and was
then inspired to bring together some of
Australia’s finest musicians including
John Butler, Paul Kelly and Tex Perkins
for an album on fatherhood.
Linking up with musician Steve
Davies, he formed a music production
company called Rawmix and set about
launching the Fatherhood CD.
‘The songs on the album reinforce
the role of the father,’ explained Colin.
‘Men have perceived themselves as
inadequate fathers and the social pressure
to prioritise work has meant the
project
father role hasn’t been valued.’
The diversity of this role is reflected
in the father stories from John Butler’s
poignant Spring, a song about a miscarriage,
to Mick Thomas’s Father’s Day
about being a separated dad.
Colin has always dreamt of creating
music that makes a difference. That is
why the beneficiaries of the Fatherhood
CD are Uncle and Pathways to Manhood,
community organisations that mentor
boys in positive ways.
Being a dad didn’t come easily to
Colin. Giving birth to this compilation
album has reinforced his own father
power and spurred national interest in
fatherhood issues.
Over the past year there have been
Fatherhood concerts in Melbourne,
Woodford and at the Blues Festival in
Byron Bay with Kasey and Bill Chambers
singing together on stage with John
Butler, Xavier Rudd and Harry Manx.
The emotion and strength of feeling
that emerged out of these concerts
from both the audience and the artists
prompted the founding of The Fatherhood
Project.
As a not-for-profit organisation, The
Fatherhood Project is dedicated to building
positive community through enriching
the lives of fathers and their families.
It is an imaginative catalyst for change
in the way we think and perceive fathers
and their families in today’s world.
‘It is about looking at our issues with
our fathers and finding ways to come
to terms with those issues,’ says Colin
of The Fatherhood Project. ‘It is about
fathers finding out what is really important
to them and being able to express
those feelings. It is about the healing of
relationships for men, women and especially
children.’
The Fatherhood Festival is a social
and cultural initiative that celebrates and
challenges fatherhood. The Fatherhood
Project sees the first Fatherhood Festival