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Charity Registration no. 1209751
Who We Are
How We Make a Difference
We work to help families find themselves again within the chaos of their loved one's substance or alcohol addiction.
We provide unconditional, compassionate & empathetic support, in a safe, confidential & non-judgemental environment.
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We share our own lived experiences so that families can connect with each other, build trust, & no longer feel alone.
We are a voluntary service, where all affected family members & friends (18+), regardless of circumstances, are welcome.
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We also work to bring awareness to our communities in an attempt to reduce the stigma. We strongly believe that families deserve recovery too.
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Our Family Support group is built on the belief that everyone has a resilience which can be nurtured with the help of a supportive community.
Our face-to-face meetings provide a safe place, where you can be heard without judgement & build trusting relationships with others, where everything is totally confidential.
DAFS encourages self-care, self-reflection, learning, personal growth & crucially, connection
Join us today to learn more.
Testimonials from our beneficiaries
"Sometimes truly just not feeling alone is the pick me up that carries me through"
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"A non-judgemental, safe & secure environment. Someone may just offer a piece of advice or knowledge that helps you turn a corner & see some light at the end of a dark tunnel"
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"Come along to group & they will help you build your strength. Take it in your own time, only you know the right time to open up. But rest assured when you are ready, these lovely people will be there to hold you up"
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"This group saved my life so keep strong"
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"Thank you for last nights meeting, it really helped more than you know to say it all out loud"
Our fortnightly in-person group sessions are an opportunity for you to connect with others, share experiences, fears & most importantly HOPE with others who are going through the same trauma. There is never any pressure to talk, you are welcome to just listen, until you are ready. We encourage kindness, empathy, honesty, respect & above all else, trust. Below is the timetable for our groups - once you have completed our contact form, a member of our team will contact you to confirm the best suited location for you.
Fortnightly Groups
Alternative Groups
MONDAY
Willen Surgery, Milton Keynes, MK15 9ET
Fortnightly face-to-face evening group held at our community location in Willen, Milton Keynes.
Coffee, tea & biscuits are provided for a small voluntary contribution.
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7:20pm - 8:50pm
TUESDAY
Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes, MK16 8QT
Fortnightly face-to-face evening group held at our community location in Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes.
Coffee, tea & biscuits are provided for a small voluntary contribution.
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7:20pm - 8:50pm
WEDNESDAY
Morrisons in Westcroft, Milton Keynes, MK4 4DD
& Bedford, MK40 2BY
Fortnightly face-to-face evening group held at our community location in Westcroft, Milton Keynes. We also hold a group in Bedford.
Coffee, tea & biscuits are provided for a small voluntary contribution.
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7:30pm - 9pm
MONTHLY
on a MONDAY
The Lighthouse, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 2TD & The Salvation Army Meeting Place, Conniburrow, Milton Keynes, MK14 7BA
A monthly face-to-face evening group held at The Lighthouse in Leighton Buzzard & The Salvation Army Meeting Place in Conniburrow.
Coffee, tea & biscuits are provided for a small voluntary contribution.
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7:30pm - 9pm
monthly
on a thursday
Online Zoom meeting
A monthly evening group held online via zoom (link provided before each meeting).
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7:30pm - 9pm
Online Sibling zoom meeting
A monthly evening group held specifically for siblings of loved ones in addiction over Zoom (link provided before each meeting).
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7:30pm - 9pm
Other Activities
REGULAR WELL-BEING CRAFT SESSIONS
On regular dates throughout the year, we hold a well-being craft session for group attendees, allowing them some time to focus attention on something positive & creative. It is an opportunity to do something for ourselves for a couple of hours whilst connecting with others at the same time. See some photos of our creations in the Gallery.
At each of these sessions we make something different - you need not be any kind of creative genius to attend these, all skill levels are welcome....you may just surprise yourselves & unveil talents you never knew you had!
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REGULAR GUEST SPEAKER SESSIONS
One of our objectives is to provide enhanced knowledge & understanding of the disease of addiction. This helps our families to put themselves in the shoes of their loved one and see their struggles so they can better support them if that's what they wish to do. To achieve this we invite selected guest speakers to share their own recovery journeys with our beneficiaries. These sessions have proved to be extremely powerful & provide families with HOPE that change can & does happen, when someone is ready & with the correct support in place.
We also invite other services along to speak to our beneficiaries to provide knowledge, such as Probation, Citizen's Advice, Carers, the local drug & alcohol service, amongst others. This gives beneficiaries the opportunity to ask any questions they may have in a safe environment so they can better navigate the services. We have also found it helps families to put a human face to a service & understand the constraints that they may be faced with.
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