Twenty‑four fathers in Wolverhampton have taken part in a one‑off hair‑styling session aimed at giving them practical skills and a confidence boost when helping care for their daughters. The event, called Pitches and Ponytails, was organised by the Wolves Foundation, the charitable arm of the city’s football club.
Practical skills, immediate benefits
Participants were shown a range of simple techniques they could use at home. For many attendees, the session provided new practical knowledge as well as reassurance that they could be more involved in day‑to‑day childcare tasks.
"It was a well worthwhile evening and really interesting to learn new things, and I've been applying what I've learnt,"
The quote above came from one father who attended the session, Simon Burke, who said he had never signed up for an event like this before but was encouraged by his partner to go along. He added that while he could already do a ponytail, the techniques taught were at a different level and had given him a "massive confidence boost".
Why local groups are running these courses
Organisers say the course is designed to inspire confidence among attendees and to support changing parental roles, with fathers increasingly taking an active role in everyday childcare tasks. The Wolves Foundation has run community programmes that link football engagement with wider social outcomes; this course fits into that approach by using an accessible, practical theme to bring people together.
- Course name: Pitches and Ponytails
- Organiser: Wolves Foundation
- Participants: 24 fathers
What this means locally
Small, skills‑based events such as this have a dual effect in Wolverhampton: they provide immediate, useful abilities — in this case, hair styling — and they foster greater parental involvement and community cohesion. For local services and charities, they offer a low‑barrier way to engage fathers and families who might not attend more formal parenting workshops.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Wolverhampton |
| Number of attendees | 24 |
| Organiser | Wolves Foundation |
Those interested in similar community activities should contact the Wolves Foundation for details of future sessions. Events like Pitches and Ponytails demonstrate how relatively small initiatives can make a noticeable difference to family life in the city.
