DAFS is a small charity supporting families (18+) affected by the addiction of a loved one.
We are all volunteers with lived experience so fully understand the trauma.
We support parents, partners, grandparents, siblings etc. within Milton Keynes, Bedford and Leighton Buzzard. We also support people who live out-of-area through an online community as well as family members who have suffered bereavement through addiction.
The challenges our beneficiaries face are social isolation, shame, guilt, financial burden and trauma. Along with the helplessness and sadness of their situations this creates barriers that prevent families from thriving.
We strongly believe that if they are able to connect with others in similar situations in a safe, confidential and non-judgmental environment, they feel heard, understood and have hope that things can change for the better.
We have no magic bullet or answers to addiction, we all know that only the person themselves can find the solution for their own recovery. But we recognise that we also need to recover.
We bring people together to share their experiences, to learn from each other as well as through occasional guest speaker events from external services and people in recovery themselves.
We hold well-being sessions to improve mental health and self-care awareness, as well as funding professional mentoring sessions, where additional support is recognised and appropriate.
Through our work, we provide not only immediate relief but also long-term solutions to empower those we support to develop life-long strategies and coping methods.
Our vision is a world where families no longer feel judged and stigmatised by a loved one’s addiction and that they feel accepted as being part of the solution to recover from this devastating disease.
Quote from Val & Lynn – “Addiction is known as a FAMILY disease due to the ripple effect it has across the whole family. We have a genuine passion for making a real difference in the lives of families who are affected by this awful disease that can affect anybody”.
Contact information:
Website - www.dafsmk.co.uk
Email - info@dafsmk.co.uk
Facebook - DAFS (Drug & Alcohol Family Support)
