Dad La Soul's Eastbourne debut! One night. Real conversations. A community built by every dad who walks through the door ⭐
This is our first Dad La Soul night in Eastbourne, in partnership with FOUNDRY:
This night is built especially for local dads, grandads and male carers - and for the schools, mental health services, businesses, sports clubs and community groups who support them.
We’ve been given National Lottery funding to bring what we do to new towns, and we’d love Eastbourne to become one of them.
But we’re not turning up with all the answers.
This soft launch is about finding out whether it fits, what dads here actually want, and what happens next - whether that’s regular programmes, evening meetups like this, dads-only playdates for younger kids, or something completely different.
Why this matters:
Loneliness catches up with a lot of dads. Circles shrink, babysitters cost a fortune, and old mates slowly fade into occasional Facebook likes.
That’s why Dad La Soul exists.
On the surface, it’s a great night out. Underneath, it’s a chance for dads to reconnect, build friendships and have honest conversations about the stuff we don’t always talk about, without the pressure of a clinic setting.
Because fatherhood can be brutal and brilliant (often within the same five minutes).
We’re building dad-focused communities that care, bringing together good people, peer support, expert voices and the kind of social connection that makes dads feel part of something.
What Dad La Soul brings:
We bring the experience of producing more than 500 events for 12,000 families, so we have a pretty good idea of what might work.
We want you to help shape it so it works for local dads.
So...
Forget the pub and the man-up nonsense.
We want dads, and the organisations who back them, to connect, contribute and help shape what happens next.
What this isn't:
Networking for the sake of it
Group therapy
Lukewarm coffee in a dusty church hall
Endless presentations
Awkward icebreakers or forced fun
Pretending everything is fine
A finished product - we’re here to listen, learn and build this with dads
What this is:
Good tunes, good people and conversations that actually mean something
Special guests, honest stories and a few laughs along the way
A chance to meet other dads without the awkwardness
No pressure to share - come as you are, join in as much as you want
A way to tell us what matters to dads and help shape what comes next
Who is this for?
Built for dads, grandads and male-identifying carers aged 16+, from every background and situation.
Your postcode, relationship status or bank balance doesn’t matter here.
Whether you’re married, single, co-parenting or still finding your way, you’re welcome.
Got younger kids? We’ll also be chatting about our dads-only playdates on the night.
We’ve also invited representatives from organisations across Eastbourne - the people already supporting local men and families
If that’s you, you’re just as welcome in the room.
We want your honest thoughts on what’s needed, alongside the voices of the dads we’re here to bring together.
Help shape Dad La Soul in Eastbourne:
Nobody has to stand up, share their personal circumstances or explain their story. Come as you are, join in as much or as little as you like.
At previous Dad La Soul nights, we’ve explored everything from co-parenting and SEND to DJ workshops, relationships, work, IVF, time management, gaming and VR, board games, suicide prevention training, sea swims, live music gigs and book clubs.
Curious what could work here?
This night is about finding out what actually fits Eastbourne.
Your ideas and feedback will help shape future speakers, activities, formats and local partnerships. Organisations in the room can hear directly from dads and understand how they can play a part in supporting them.
But first and foremost, this is a social evening. Nobody is here to study dads or sell services.