City in the Community (CITC) has been running bespoke workshops for young children and their families in the lead up to Father’s Day.

Inspired by a new children’s book titled ‘My Dad’, the workshops use the themes of role models and heroes to engage the participants in physical activity. 

‘My Dad’ has been authored by lifelong Manchester City fan Susan Quinn, who, alongside publisher QUARTO, has donated 150 copies to CITC participants.

POSITIVE

The special workshops are being delivered as part of CITC’s City Play Together programme, which aims to help get families and their children aged two to five taking part in physical activity together from an early age. 

City players Scott Carson, Esme Morgan and Sam Mewis have recorded interviews discussing positive male role models, their memories of being with their dads and other father figures as a child, as well as reading from the book as part of the workshop. 

Author Susan explains how the relationship with CITC came about: “The book is dedicated to my own Dad, Leo, who grew up in an orphanage in the Manchester area and supported City all his life until his death from cancer.

TRIBUTE

“One of the pages in the book features two children’s teams playing football and I asked the publisher if the illustrator Marina Ruiz could make one of the teams wear a sky-blue kit as a tribute to Leo’s City devotion. I was thrilled when they said yes.  

“Leo would have been immensely proud not just of the City team today, but also of all the hard work the club do in the community.  

“Remembering his tough childhood, I wanted to do something special and fun for children in his memory and I’m really pleased that everyone has come on board with CITC to support the My Dad workshops to celebrate Father’s Day."

SUPPORT

The books were handed over at the Etihad Stadium to CITC ambassador and former Manchester City goalkeeper Alex Williams who was awarded an MBE in 2002 for services to young people. 

Alex commented: “The concept is fantastic and it’s great to use the power of football, especially our brand of Manchester City, to try to get messages over to young people.  Everyone at City in the Community would like to thank Susan and the publishers for their kind donation in support of our participants.”

Esme added: “The idea of ‘My Dad’ being the best in the world made me smile and is so sweet. It is definitely the sort of thing I would have read when I was little.”