Getting Ready for the Moment That Matters: Week Three of For Dads Who Can't Braid at HMP Brixton

By week three, something had changed.

The combs felt more familiar.

The movements were more intentional.

The conversations were deeper.

With just one workshop remaining before the family visit day, the fathers taking part in For Dads Who Can't Braid at HMP Brixton weren't simply learning anymore — they were preparing for a moment many had been thinking about since day one.

The chance to style their children's hair.

The chance to reconnect through care.

The chance to show up in a completely new way.

There was a quiet focus in the room, but alongside it came something equally powerful: hope.

From Learning to Refining

Week three was all about building confidence through practice.

The fathers revisited the foundations they'd worked so hard to master over the previous two weeks, while taking on new techniques designed to prepare them for the big day ahead.

This week's session focused on caring for textured hair before styling, including how to detangle gently, part hair neatly and restore moisture using the right products. Participants continued practising single plaits and straight-back cornrows before stepping up to a brand-new challenge: creating intricate criss-cross braid patterns.

With every section they parted and every braid they completed, it became increasingly clear how far they'd come.

The uncertainty of week one had been replaced by patience, purpose and growing self-belief.

Host Spotlight: Abdul Bangura

This week's host, Abdul Bangura, founder of ALAC Group, brought something deeply personal to the room.

Rather than beginning with techniques or demonstrations, Abdul began with his own story.

He spoke openly about spending five years in prison and the journey that followed. He shared how he rebuilt his life, creating a successful catering and food distribution business before pivoting during the pandemic into the aviation industry.

His message wasn't one of perfection.

It was one of possibility.

By sharing his own experiences so honestly, Abdul met the fathers exactly where they were.

He reminded them that the chapter they're living today doesn't have to define the rest of their story.

As the workshop unfolded, something shifted.

The conversations became more open.

The fathers spoke more freely about their own journeys, their children and what being a dad means to them.

What began as a hair workshop became something much bigger — a space for reflection, encouragement and genuine connection.

And of course, no week would be complete without a little friendly competition.

The session ended with a light-hearted "Great British Braid Off," giving participants the chance to showcase everything they'd learned over the previous three weeks.

There was laughter.

There was cheering.

And there was plenty of well-earned pride.

More Than a Life Skill

One of the most beautiful things about FDWCB is that every new technique represents something beyond hair.

Every cornrow becomes an act of patience.

Every clean parting reflects growing confidence.

Every finished style becomes another opportunity to care for someone you love.

For one father, the programme has opened up a future he hadn't imagined before.

"I can actually carry my new skills with me on the outside. I can now do my daughter's hair.

It means a lot — now I don't have to depend on the mother of my children. I hope it makes my daughter feel good, because her dad's able to make her look presentable, and that puts a smile on her face."

It's a reminder that learning to braid isn't simply about appearance.

It's about independence.

It's about participation.

It's about creating everyday moments that strengthen relationships between fathers and their children.

A Different Kind of Therapy

While many participants joined the programme to prepare for the family visit day, several have discovered something unexpected along the way.

The process itself has become restorative.

Working patiently through each braid.

Focusing on every section.

Taking the time to slow down.

For one participant, that feeling was impossible to ignore.

"I'd say definitely give this course a try — you never know what's for you, what life skills you could gain from it.

Just be positive, always try something new, because you never know, you might be able to do your own hair one day.

It's been very therapeutic doing this the last three weeks."

Those words beautifully capture something we've witnessed throughout this programme.

Learning doesn't just build skills.

It builds confidence.

It creates calm.

It reminds people that they're capable of more than they imagined.