The Dad Project, founded by Naroop Jhooti, is marking Father’s Day by highlighting the pressures many men carry in private.

Jhooti launched the project after ending a 26-year relationship and becoming a single father.

He said, “What surprised me most wasn’t how different the stories were, but how similar many of the feelings were.

“Whether someone was a business leader, a father, a creative or someone rebuilding their life after difficult circumstances, the themes often came back to the same things: loneliness, responsibility, identity, purpose and connection.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is that most men aren’t looking for someone to fix them. 

“They’re looking to know they’re not the only ones feeling what they’re feeling.”

Over the past year, he has spoken with more than 32 guests on the podcast and with hundreds more men at live events and community meetups. 

Guests have included business leaders, creatives, fathers, community figures, Jhooti’s father, and a former Category A prisoner who is now a charity founder and advocate.

Joohti said: “We hear a lot about mental health, which is a positive thing. 

“But what I’ve learned is that many men still don’t feel they have permission to talk honestly about what they’re going through. 

“When someone shares their story, it creates space for someone else to do the same. 

“That’s where the connection starts.”

The Dad Project has expanded beyond the podcast to include men’s meetups and live ‘In Conversation’ events at Mortimer House by Maslow’s in London. 

Its next event will feature Aaron Dale, founder of Raising Boys 2 Men.

With Father’s Day on June 21, the project says the date is also an opportunity to reflect on the complexities of fatherhood and the importance of open conversations between men and those around them.