Amenities

About Friends of M.V. Freedom

Our brand new M.V. Freedom is based at Weymouth Quay in Dorset, on the South Coast of England. It is a 10 metre motor catamaran that has been specifically designed and built to cater for wheelchair users and those living with disability. The steadily increasing number of passengers,(well over 2200 bookings per annum) combined with the growing volume of disabilities and the size of wheelchairs, reinforced the need for a new vessel Thanks to the amazing generosity of our supporters and the hard work of our volunteers, the service our charity provides will continue for many years to come.

Our passengers include those with sensory impairments, military veterans, young adults, children and the elderly. Many are confined to wheelchairs, and often would have no other way of accessing life enhancing sea going experiences and their proven therapeutic benefits.

All the MCA/RYA qualified skippers, and trained crews are volunteers, and as reward need only the pleasure of seeing so many of our passengers responding to the joy of having the breeze in their faces and where possible the sight, sounds and smell of the sea and its inhabitants. Some will enjoy fishing or helming the boat or learning some navigational skills or the history of the area.

M.V. Freedom was first formally recognised for her work with people living with disability, by being entrusted with the privilege of carrying the Olympic Flame for the 2012 Paralympic sailing events held in Portland Harbour.

Our charity is completely reliant on fund raising to survive. Every penny donated is spent on the safety, encouragement, enjoyment and empowerment of our passengers, plus the inevitable maintenance costs of running M.V.Freedom. We have no paid staff!