Fathers 4 Justice News

Re-Born Fathers 4 Justice Launch 'Child Focused' Campaign

PRESS RELEASE 27/3/06


Re-Born Fathers 4 Justice Launch 'Child Focused' Campaign

Fathers 4 Justice (F4J) announced yesterday on Radio 5 Live's 'Forgotten Fathers' programme that it's high profile campaign IS to continue despite the group formally disbanding in January following the alleged Leo Blair plot.

Fathers 4 Justice Suspended by Leader - Campaign to close if Necessary

Press Release
18th January 2006


Fathers 4 Justice Suspended by Leader - Campaign to close if Necessary


F4J leader Matt O'Connor announced tonight that he was suspending the operations of the group pending enquiries into allegations contained on the cover of this mornings Sun Newspaper that 'extremist sympathisers' associated with the group had planned to kidnap the Prime Minister's Son,
Leo Blair.

"IT'S A DRAG BEING A DAD"

SUPPORT THE TALKS: 'IT'S A DRAG BEING A DAD' THIS FRIDAY - PERHAPS OUR ONE AND ONLY OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO TELL CAFCASS DIRECTLY WHAT YOU THINK

This Friday 15th July a team from F4J will present to the Cafcass board in critical talks. We have been swamped with emails from you with your views which we will present to the board in a gloves off, no nonsense presentation.

To mark the occasion and to focus everybody's minds on the task at hand, F4J are holding a 'support the talks' performance activism event outside Cafcass HQ called 'It's a Drag Being A Dad' where Glen Poole will present what is described as a 'theatrical re-enactment of the history of Cafcass between '2002 - 2005'.

All parents and grandparents wishing to 'make up' should attend wearing wigs, dresses, heels, handbags etc (see Jolly in poster below).

The event will feature Glen Poole as compere and a DJ.

The event kicks off at 11.00am - 1.00pm at Cafcass Head Office, Wyndham House, South Quay Plaza, 189 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9SH.

Nearest stations are Canary Wharf Tube and Docklands Light Railway South Quay Station.

For the poster image visit www.fathers-4-justice.org or click on

http://www.fathers-4-justice.org/images/f4jdrag.jpg

To register your support email office@fathers-4-justice.org


CHAT TO MATT THIS TUESDAY 12TH JULY

For the first time, and in response to many, many calls over the last month, F4J Members will be able to have one to one chats with F4J Founder Matt O'Connor before Friday's Cafcass talks.

Matt will answer as many calls as possible between 9.00am and 5.00pm about everything including Cafcass, the campaign, recent press, political work and recent developments in the House of Lords and his vision for the future of F4J.

Members can call 01787 281922 and should have where possible their membership numbers ready. If Matt is on another call he will make every endeavour to call you back.

FATHERS 4 JUSTICE TO LAUNCH YOUNG OFFENDERS PROJECT

17 June 2005

PRESS RELEASE: FATHERS 4 JUSTICE TO LAUNCH YOUNG OFFENDERS PROJECT

Fathers 4 Justice today announced that it would be launching a charitable foundation to work with Young Offenders from fatherless families.

The Fathers 4 Justice Foundation will team up with regional Youth Mentoring projects in an effort to help highlight the work done with Young Offenders and the link be young offending and fatherless ness.

The Foundation will also launch a new campaign called "Father Figure" which will tour the UK at the beginning of 2006.

Said Fathers 4 Justice Founder Matt O'Connor "This exciting new initiative demonstrates our commitment to not only tackling fatherless ness but the catastrophic impact and damage on children and society. The National Audit Office last year announced that the cost to country of Young Offending was £10 Billion and that 1 in 4 teenagers was now a criminal."

Mr O'Connor, who's partner is expecting their baby in December said "The initiative is part of the of the new & ongoing evolution of Fathers 4 Justice, not just as a major force in campaigning but a force for social change."

No demo but some turn up anyway.

In spite of the cancelled McDad’s demo a few turned up anyway. The expected disruption by Real F4J did not occur. More on the Real F4J on the Men’s Hour Blog



There were more police than demonstrators. We had a nice drink after the non demo.

CAFCASS speak with forked tongue? or a step forward?

Fathers 4 Justice and CAFCASS, the Government service that advises courts on child custody cases, have agreed to a truce. CAFCASS has to improve it’s attitude to fathers and F4J will stop all activism against the government agency for 3 months. If no improvement is seen in 3 months then the activism will start again

From the BBC Fathers' truce with family group

Campaign group Fathers 4 Justice has called a truce with the service which advises courts in child custody cases.

The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) had been among the group's main protest targets.

Cafcass is to issue a statement calling for "constructive dialogue" with the group, which campaigns for fathers' rights.

The campaigners grew in prominence after members dressed as superheroes mounted famous landmarks.

Fathers 4 Justice says it has expelled those members.

Cafcass said the conciliatory tone would aid "public confidence" in them.

Its chief executive, Anthony Douglas, said: "We needed to lower the temperature so that new fathers who came to us didn't perceive, on the back of those kinds of campaigns, that we were biased against them.

"It's very important in our work to have public confidence and confidence from mothers, fathers and other relatives that we're going to be neutral and do best for their children."

The advisory group writes reports on families and recommend who gains custody of children, as well as the amount of access given to the other parent.

In the past Fathers 4 Justice had claimed that Cafcass helped to create an institutional bias towards mothers being given custody of children and too little access to fathers.

A statement expected from Cafcass is also expected to stress the importance of a continuing relationship with both parents in custody cases.

High profile stunts

Matt O'Connor of Fathers 4 Justice called the move "a significant leap in the mindset of Cafcass as an organisation".

"When we first started they said 'what problem?' Now we have them seriously addressing and recognising the rights of children to see their fathers."

Fathers 4 Justice members have conducted a number of high profile stunts, including climbing a wall at Buckingham Palace last September.

And last May Tony Blair was hit by packages of flour thrown by members of the group while speaking in the House of Commons.

McDad’s demo cancelled

Sadly,the McDad’s demo was cancelled. Apparently because of potential disruption by a breakaway group called “Real Fathers 4 Justice”. Part of this is about an agreement between Matt O’Connor, F4J Founder, and CAFCASS, the court service that produces reports about child custody and was targeted by F4J as part of the problem. More on F4J and CAFCASS on the Men’s hour F4J News. More on the Real F4J on the Men’s Hour Blog

Fathers Reject 'McDad' Legislation in Queen's Speech

Press Release
Tuesday 17th May 2005

'Fathers Reject 'McDad' Legislation in Queen's Speech'

Campaign Group Fathers 4 Justice today rejected Government proposal's expected to be contained in the Queens' Speech today with regard to the enforcement of parental contact orders describing it as 'McDad' legislation that will see thousands more children reduced to meeting their fathers for a few hours in a McDonald's every week.

McDad Day Demo coming Friday 17 Jun 2005

The McDad Day Demo is coming.  Friday June 17th

The McDad Day Demo From 1130 at Queens Walk, Green Park tube station

JOIN Fathers 4 Justice for a spectacular march led by 'McBus'. Ronald McDonald The McStiltWalker and the McDrummers.

FREE DELIVERY TO Piccadilly Circus. The West End. Thw Royal Courts of Justice, McDonalds in The Strand. Trafalgar Square with MCBlair#s 'Unhappy Meal' delivered to Downing Street

DRESS Red and yellow, Ronald McDonald and 'Ham Burger'outfits, 'We're not loving it' T-shirts available for sale on day BRING McWhistles, Pics of your McKids, McAirhorns. McDrums, McFriends, McFamily and McChildren welcome

FREE BALLOONS FOR ALL CHILDREN

PRE-REGISTRATION ESSENTIAL FOR SECURITY REASONS. TO PRE=REGISTER EMAIL: julie@fathers-4-justice.org or call 01787 281922

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON F4J VISIT: www.fathers-4-justice.org

F4J Reading will be there. Come and join us (PRE-REGISTRATION ESSENTIAL)

Fathers 'Lock Out' Labour as Election Campaign Begins

Press Release

7th March 2005

Angry fathers - including some from campaign group Fathers 4 Justice (F4J) - have 'locked out' over 70 Labour offices including many belonging to Labour MP's.