News & Events!

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REES'S RUN for RECOVERY - Christmas Day 2025

Rees’s Run for Recovery - Online Social Fundraising Donation Platform | Givey

WOW, what an incredible achievement.....

as at 27/12/25 £2,000 raised!!!

DAFS are truly humbled by Rees' selfless generosity of time and compassion, you are an inspiration to all of us that Recovery IS possible.

Rees successfully competed his Christmas Day marathon - he ran 42.71km in a total time of 3:54:42, which was a personal best for him.

A little about me - my name is Rees Bettell, & I’m a recovering alcoholic & addict. I struggled with substance misuse from the age of 16, & after countless failed attempts at moderation & abstinence, I reached an emotional, physical, & spiritual rock bottom during 2021-2022.

On 30th October 2022, I took my last drink - & life has transformed since.

Over the past three years, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to rebuild my life. I’ve reconnected with family & friends, & continue to focus on my emotional, physical, & spiritual wellbeing every day.

This Christmas Day, I’ll be running a marathon around Bedford to raise money for a wonderful organisation called Drug & Alcohol Family Support (DAFS), who work in & around Milton Keynes, Bedford & Leighton Buzzard. DAFS was founded in 2018 by two women, Val & Lynn, who recognised a real gap in support for families affected by alcoholism & drug addiction. They are a small, volunteer-led organisation providing safe spaces & support groups that help families find connection, hope, meaning, & empowerment during incredibly difficult times.

Any money raised will have a huge impact on their ability to reach more families, improve their services, & continue the vital work they do for those often overlooked by the healthcare system.

As this isn’t an official race, I’ll be measuring the distance using my Garmin watch. To ensure validity, I’ll be running 26.5 miles (42.65 km). I’ve got a rough idea of my route & will share updates once confirmed. I plan to start between 7–8am on Christmas morning.

I’d be incredibly grateful if you could help me reach my fundraising goal - every donation, no matter the size, will make a real difference. Thank you for taking the time to read my story, & for any support you can give. Rees.

ROTARY CLUB MK - SWIMATHON

Saturday 21st February 2026

This is an annual fun day that’s raised over half a million pounds for local charities since 1994.
Each year, between 7 & 9 local charities are identified to benefit from the Swimathon.
21 February 2026 will be Rotary MK’s 33rd Swimathon
It’s free to enter & held at Wolverton Pool.
50+ teams of six swim on a relay basis for 55 minutes in a 25-metre pool.
No special swimming ability is needed.
Children of any age are welcome but must have parental permission.

Each swimmer collects sponsorship from family, friends, work colleagues, corporate donations, etc. by:

Online sponsorship via Just Giving, which automatically claims 25% Gift Aid on all eligible donations, &/or
Using Rotary MK’s sponsorship form & bringing the money to the event or paying it into Rotary MK’s Swimathon bank account. The Club claims Gift Aid from HMRC.
The link to Just Giving & the Rotary Sponsorship Form will be available here soon!

DAFS will be entering 4 teams for the event & would love any support on the day. Come along & join the fun!

There will be a presentation day in May 2026 to present each charity with the monies raised, & also award a number of prizes.