For some of you who don't know me, I'm Matt. I have two girls, aged 13 and a soon-to-be 10 year-old. Like many couples, their mother and I grew apart, which unfortunately led to a hostile and emotionally damaging home environment. After three years of trying to rescue the relationship, I made the hardest decision of my life to leave my family home so my daughters could be protected from the animosity between their mother and me.

Initially I was seeing the girls and successfully co-parenting, but after I started a new relationship their mother realised there was no way back. I was stopped from seeing the girls on one of their birthdays and contact pretty much ended there.

I couldn't afford court costs with a solicitor so I tried to represent myself, and received no advice or support. It was a long battle that took place whilst a pandemic broke out and all the odds were stacked against me. The court case never went in my favour, and there are questionable decisions that were never challenged. Importantly, accusations were made without evidence which, in the opinion of my new solicitor, unjustly and incorrectly resulted in a no-contact order, where all I could receive were monthly email updates on the girls' health and wellbeing.

I believe the system failed me. The girls have been without their dad for the last 3 years and this has without a doubt had an adverse affect on them.

I miss my girls more than I could ever explain and it's not just me - they have been separated and alienated away from the entire side of my family. No one has been able to see them or speak to them. I intend to fight the decision made against me so me and my family can rebuild a relationship with my daughters. The money I am raising will be used to pay for a new legal process, mainly to pay for a solicitor and potentially court costs if it ends up going that way.

If you are able to support not just me but the whole family, I believe shared parenting can take place and the girls have a better life for it.

If you can donate I am truly grateful and thankful, and even if you can't please share my story with anyone you think might be able to help in some way.

Thank you so much for your support,

Matt