Dads Rock - Fifteen years on

Our Story: From a Living Room Idea to a Scotland-Wide Movement

At Dads Rock, we believe that children thrive when dads thrive. What started in 2011 as two Edinburgh fathers looking for a place to connect with their kids has grown into Scotland’s leading charity supporting dads and families—online and in communities across the country.

2011 — Where It All Began

Edinburgh dads David Marshall and Thomas Lynch meet with a simple realization: new fathers need dedicated spaces, peer support, and encouragement just as much as mums do. Determined to build a community where dads feel welcome from day one, they begin planning Scotland’s first dad-led playgroup.

2012 — First Playgroups

We open our doors for our very first free Saturday playgroup in Edinburgh, quickly growing from a dozen families to more than fifty regular dads and kids.

2013 — Becoming an Official Charity & Dads Rock Academy

Dads Rock formally registers as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), laying the foundations to turn a grassroots community effort into a lasting movement for Scottish families. That same year, Dads Rock Academy kicks off in Sighthill, bringing generations together through weekly guitar, bass, drum, and vocal lessons.

2014-15 — a year of expansion

Securing our first major National Lottery grant enables us to hire our first full-time staff members and launch dedicated play sessions and support for fathers in prison—helping strengthen vital bonds between imprisoned dads and their children. Recognising the unique barriers faced by young fathers, we launch our Young Dads Project in Edinburgh—offering tailored 1-to-1 mentoring, peer groups, and practical guidance to help young men step confidently into fatherhood. The funding also allows us to launch weekday playgroups in Edinburgh, a Saturday playgroup in Glasgow and introduce family trips and counselling.

2016 — Scotland’s Year of the Dad & workshops

As Scotland celebrates the world’s first Year of the Dad, we join partners nationwide to champion the vital role of fathers and male carers in children’s lives. Alongside the campaign, we expand our hands-on learning offer with antenatal workshops, baby first aid, infant sleep sessions, and hairstyling for dads workshops. Alongside the campaign, we expand our hands-on learning offer with antenatal workshops, baby first aid, infant sleep sessions, and hairstyling for dads workshops.

2017 — ‘Being Dad’ campaign

We launch ‘Being Dad’, a photography and storytelling campaign celebrating everyday dads, granddads, and male carers while challenging outdated stereotypes of fatherhood. We take it to the Scottish Parliament, meeting with MSPs at Holyrood to showcase the realities of modern fatherhood and advocate for dad-inclusive family policies.

2018 — save dads rock & schools work

As our Big Lottery funding came to an end we launch our #savedadsrock campaign with our community rallying behind us with support and donations. A £50k grant from the Scottish Government enables us to secure a long term future for the organisation. We start working in schools bringing together over 300 dads and children to enjoy spending time together in school.

2019–2020 — Expanding Glasgow work

Growing demand for father-inclusive support takes us west as we establish regular weekly playgroups, antenatal classes, and dedicated young dads support for families across Glasgow.

2020-21 — Staying Connected Through Lockdown

When COVID-19 closes community doors, we take our playgroups, workshops, and music lessons online - focusing on supporting the whole family and giving over 1000 people a vital digital lifeline during isolation. Once permitted we started up our re-imagined playgroups as ‘Dads in the Woods’ alongside weekly buggy walks, enabling families to enjoy outdoor play together. Dads Rock Academy also wins a national Music and Drama Award for outstanding music initiative recognising its intergenerational impact.

2022 — P.S. Dads Rock Launches Nationwide

We launch P.S. Dads Rock, Scotland’s first and only national 1-to-1 perinatal peer support service, matching expectant and new dads with trained volunteer dad mentors across the country.

2023 — Embedding dad Support in North Ayrshire

In a first of its kind partnership our Dads Rock workers are embedded in the Children and Family Health Teams helping Dads to be the best that they can be and support them to give their children the best possible start in life. This means working with Health Visiting, Midwifery and Social Work to provide bespoke 1-1 support for dads and their families at home and in the communities of the North Ayrshire.

2025 — Growing into Tayside & A New Chapter

Our team expands to Dundee and Tayside with a dedicated local Dads Worker. Meanwhile, co-founder Thomas Lynch steps down as CEO to pass the torch for the charity’s next phase of growth.

2026 — Ayrshire Growth & National Advocacy

We expand our Ayrshire footprint into East Ayrshire—launching new dads' groups in Kilmarnock alongside our one to one work. On the national stage, we help lead Scotland’s first-ever Parent Strike in Edinburgh and Glasgow, campaigning for stronger paternity leave and family-friendly workplaces across the UK.

Be Part of What’s Next

Our story is shaped by the dads, kids, volunteers, and supporters who show up every week. Whether you’re looking for a welcoming community, ready to lend a hand, or want to champion father-inclusive support across Scotland, we’d love to have you involved.

• Join a Group or Service: Explore our free playgroups, parenting workshops, and 1-to-1 support.

• Volunteer With Us: Train to become a dad mentor or help out at our local sessions and events.

• Support Our Work: Make a donation or fundraise to help us reach even more dads and families.