A Fathers Day He Won't Forget | TESCO TANNOY TAKEOVER

With Fathers Day fast approaching, this year, I wanted to do something special. Fathers Day is the forgotten holiday; although not long after Mothers Day, it's the holiday we often overlooked, the one often accompanied by a quick dash to the local supermarket for a card and a pair of novelty socks the night before. For my own dad, our Fathers Day tradition of a box of Jaffa Cakes and a Mug has always been just enough, but as my first year as a parent myself, I can now truly appreciate everything he has done for me, and want to let him know this. With my new found respect, I wanted to do something a  special: this year, I took part in the Tesco Tannoy Takeover to let my dad know exactly how much he means to me.

I've always had a great relationship with my dad. We're similar, often maybe a little too similar, but ultimately he's one of the people I look up to most in life. When I fell pregnant with Harrison last year, my dad was the last person I wanted to tell. A baby last year was not part of the plan, and the thought of telling him something that he wouldn't agree was right for me at the time was terrifying. When I told him, he was the one person that reassured me to no end. He made a year that started off difficult, one of the best of my life yet, and I owe him a lot for that. Let's also not forget the 20 or so years of taxi-ing me around, the bravery he showed to take me on my first driving lesson, or the years of saying yes when my mum said no. My dad deserves more than a pair of socks and a card, and I took it upon myself to let him (and everyone else in Tesco) know that.

The Tannoy Takeover is exactly as it sounds: a chance to take over the tannoy in your local store for long enough to surprise your dad. Fathers Day is not about the gifts, it's about the sentiment, and the extra effort to acknowledge our Dad's on their day. Don't get me wrong, I'll still be giving my Dad a gift (even if it is as cheesy as a pair of socks and some biscuits), but announcing my love to the whole of Tesco is just the icing on the cake.

Getting my dad to Tesco at a specified time to hear our message was no easy task, but after a measly excuse involving a desperate need for his vast knowledge of barbecue food, we arrived at the store just in time. As a man who does not wear his emotions on his sleeve, I knew not to expect a song and a dance, but his silence was enough to let me know my message had the intended affect. I've never witnessed my dad stay quiet for as long as he did during my thirty second message, in the same way I've never witnessed his neck flush pink quite so fast. He was embarrassed, surprised, but ultimately grateful for the words I don't often share with him. Life is short, and we really don't tell each other enough just how much we appreciate one another.

As the forgotten holiday, Tesco have really gone the extra mile to ensure this Fathers Day can be a special one. If you'd like to surprise your dad, you can visit the online portal, record your own message to be played at your local Tesco across Fathers Day Weekend (Saturday 17th June - Sunday 18th June). All that is then left to do is to get your Dad down to the store without suspicion (top tip: come up with a better excuse than barbecue shopping).  After your message plays, you can head to the customer service desk where a dedicated advisor will give you a £10 gift card to treat your dad: just enough for a pack of jaffas, a pair of socks and the good old classic mug. It really is that simple, and it's such a lovely sentiment for a day that is otherwise overlooked. This year, take advantage of the Tannoy Takeover and let your Dad know how much you really do appreciate him.

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Disclosure: This was a paid advertorial with Tesco, but as always every opinion is my own and I'll be the first in line to take part in the Tannoy Takeover again next year.