Men, Childlessness and Creativity

This panel is presented by Sarah Lawrence (Founder, Presenter and Director, The Full Stop Community CIC). Sarah is a qualified and practicing counseller. She is a workshop facilitator for Gateway Women, running online and in-person events at After The Storm. She takes care of our CIC governance, sense-checking our content and welcoming our guests. When she’s not at home in the south of the UK, Sarah can be found in Scotland or developing a childless mental health network having recognised a need for further support.

Andy Harrod
Andy wanted to have children, but sadly that didn’t happened due to infertility. He explores his childless experiences through writing, including the grief, acceptance and (in)visibleness of being childless not by choice. He is interested in creative expressions of childlessness. Andy with Michael Hughes co-founded The Community of Childless Men, a private Facebook group to provide support and friendship for men who are childless-not-by-choice.

Robert Nurden
Robert is an author whose book I Always Wanted To Be A Dad will launch at Storyhouse Childless 2023. Described as tender, illuminating, angry and vulnerable, it shows that behind every man without children lies a complex, and until now, untold story. He will read extracts from this ground-breaking work, which includes testimonies from other childless men. Robert, 72, lectures in journalism and is a former writer on the Guardian and Independent.

Bransby
Bransby is a singer/songwriter and broadcast media professional from Chester. He plays live regularly around Chester and is active on Spotify and Youtube. He is 46, lives with his partner Dawn who he has been with for 20 years and is happily childless by choice.