Ryhill Dad Jeff is top of the pops
FAMILY and friends of a construction worker from Ryhill raised the roof to make sure he was named as 2009's Hemsworth and South Elmsall Express Dad of the Year.
Dad-of-three Jeff Baxter, 41, was nominated by his eldest daughter Kelly, 19, who said: "He's there for us all. He's taught us right from wrong. He's one in a million."
Mr Baxter, who works as a roofer for Wakefield and District Housing, was voted as top of the pops from a choice of 14 dads from across the district.
His prize was a crate of Leeds Brewery Ale and a pair of tickets to the Superleague Grand Final in October from the Express Out 'n' About Club.
He said he had been shocked and pleased to be nominated, adding: "I finished work on the Friday and came home from work, I brought the paper as usual and went to look at the pictures on the page to see if I knew anybody, then my picture appeared!
"I was quite pleased with it. I have had a bit of stick off a few of my friends at work, but it's proved to be worth it in the end."
Mr Baxter is also dad to Danielle, 17, and Matthew,10. He said being a dad was special, adding: "My kids make me proud every day – the things they do, the things they achieve.
"They are the heart and soul of my life, they keep me going."
He said he and his wife Nicola parented as a team, and that the family worked well together.
"It's my philosophy that if you work as a team life becomes much easier. We all get on and we have some good times," he said.
Nominator Miss Baxter, a hairdresser in Hemsworth, said her dad's friends and family had all been voting for his win. She said: "I decided to nominate him because I just thought it would be something nice for him. I thought we would do something a bit extra for him this year. It's great he's won, it's wonderful, I know he really will be pleased."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Wakefield
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -3 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 3 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
