Honourable mentions!

Here is a selection of the dads who, although they didn’t win, we thought really deserved an honourable mention.

Melanie Taylor nominated her man for his patience during the rollercoaster
ride of difficult pregnancies and says he is her “Soulmate, best friend
and one in a million husband”.

Martin Grieb was nominated by his wife who says he is a very loving
and thoughtful father and husband, who has “put up with my irrational
mood swings and getting up at 6 in the morning with our son and can’t
wait for our newest member to arrive”.

Mark Farmer’s wife, Natasha, nominated him because he supported her
through the loss of her mum just 2 weeks after their daughter Sophie was
born, playing an active role in her day-to-day care. Natasha says “Sophie
obviously loves her daddy to pieces and I want this to be a way of thanking
him for everything he has done for both of us. I really don’t know what
we would have done without him.”

Mrs S Terry nominated her own dad because “He always allowed me to be
myself, choose my own friends and make my own mistakes which made me a
stronger and better person.”

Kerry Elliot nominated her partner André Elliot after illness made him
lose his job when their daughter was 2 years old. “With no job or money
we then discovered I was pregnant again! I was concerned that this would
push him over the edge as I needed to reduce my working hours but Andrew
really supported me through that as well. He would now like to stay at
home with our children full time and I don’t know of many men who would
actually look forward to that prospect as he does.”

Samantha Clevitt nominated her hubby Carl, dad to Louix because “Carl
is a great daddy who likes to share the Louix jobs with me! He gets up
at the weekend and lets me have a lie in and he has a bath with him and
generally we just share the whole experience that is Louix!!”

Jamie Rumsby was nominated by his wife Sarah for being a fantastic father
to their 2 daughters despite his job taking him away to sea regularly.
3 month old Jessica was born prematurely and Sarah complications. “Poor
Jamie thought he was going to lose both of us. I am so proud of him, and
think that he truly is a great Daddy and an inspirational father and husband.”

Ange nominated her partner Phil, a stepfather to 3 children. He has
supported her through two miscarriages and the deaths of 3 of her grandparents.
“Phil was there by my side coping with three stepchildren and my temper
tantrums because of the grief.”

Victoria Beattie nominated her partner Kevin for supporting her through
a miscarriage and looking after their daughter while she works shifts
training to be a nurse. “. I don’t think I could have managed to do my
training if he hadn’t been such a supporting partner and a great dad to
Shannon. Her face lights up when he enters the room and she knows how
to wind him round her little finger. I truly think he is a fantastic father.”

Stephen Evans is dad to Stephanie and was nominated by his partner.
He has two jobs to make sure he can provide for his daughter and is working
hard on their new house. “I think he’s the greatest dad because he’s always
there even when he should be at work. He even has fun changing her bum
which I find quite shocking but he makes everything a game which makes
life easier all round.”

Stephen Davies was nominated by his wife, who already had a 15 month
old baby when they met. He supported her through the premature birth of
their son and her consequent post natal depression and looked after their
two young boys when she was induced early with their daughter, who stopped
breathing at 2 weeks old. Baby Megan recovered but Steve was made redundant.
“This affected him deeply but he still somehow managed to cope with me
and my hormones and the three children. With Steve being only 24 he has
had to grow up so fast and he has had a lot to deal with.”

Suzanne suffers from depression and nominated her partner, Tony Clarke,
who works full time and then comes home to cook tea and bath their 2 young
children. “He runs my bath and even warms my towel for me in the dryer
for when I get out. He loves to play with the kids and is always coming
home with presents for his little girls. I wouldn’t swap him for the world.”

Stuart Cope, nominated by his partner and their 9-month old son, Lewis
Stuart David who was conceived using donated sperm. “When people say ‘Doesn’t
he look like his Dad’ it makes him so happy. It goes to prove that it
takes more than just providing the sperm to being a good Dad.”

Sarah Ramowski nominated her husband, because he “held us together
as a family” for the first 4 months of their daughter’s life during which
severe reflux caused her to scream constantly. “He is my rock and without
him we would have all gone under. My daughter and I are very lucky to
have such an amazing man in our lives.”ominated her husband Mike
because he looked after her so well when she was pregnant and even more
after she had Jack. He works extra hours so she can be a full time mum
and is totally devoted to them both. “He is the best dad for cuddles before
bedtime at night and we have entered him into this competition just to
show him how much we appreiciate him and love him!”

Steve Norman’s wife nominated him for being a “great tower of
strength and support when we lost our first two pregnancies through miscarriage
and blighted ovum, and then again through all the worries of our third
pregnancy.” Their son is now a year old and Steve continues to support
his wife through her post natal depression. “Through all this he has worries
of his own as he has medical problems and may lose his job, but that doesnt
stop him being a Fantastic Father, and Husband may I add.”

William was nominated by his partner Emily Smith, who had their baby
daughter Lydia at 27 weeks. She lived for 5 days and William was with
her the whole time. He has given Emily cards from their daughter, planted
a tree in her memory and always talks about her. “To have gone through
so much and stayed so strong for me and Lydia, is just fantastic. Just
because his daughter isn’t with him on this earth, doesn’t mean he isn’t
the best Dad ever.”

Claire Parrish nominated her husband Mike because he looked after
her so well when she was pregnant and even more after she had Jack. He
works extra hours so she can be a full time mum and is totally devoted
to them both. “He is the best dad for cuddles before bedtime at night
and we have entered him into this competition just to show him how much
we appreiciate him and love him!”

Where to next?

• Meet the Fab dads who have won our Father’s
  Day competition
• Gadget
  dads – the baby products dads love to have!
• US
  v UK dads – what we can learn from the transatlantic attitude to
  fatherhood
• Fathers unite – discuss everything
  and anything with other dads!