A boat for the disabled in the heart of the Jurassic Coast

In 1982 Acorns day centre conceived the idea of purchasing a boat that would provide a unique service for the benefit and enjoyment of people who suffer with a disability, have learning disabilities, or the elderly.

Friends of the M.V.Freedom was formed in 1984 to raise funds to purchase a boat, the first Freedom was bought for £25,000.00 and saw service for 10 years.

However she was not up to the exacting standards that had been brought about after the Marchioness disaster, etc.

A Blyth 33 catamaran was purchased in 1994 and converted to take up to 6 wheelchairs and a total of 12 passengers. The current boat has been in service now for 15 years and carried on average 2,500 passengers a year.

She has been a faithful workhorse but is a little tired and becoming more and more expensive to maintain every year. Plans are afoot to purchase a replacement in the next 2 years.

M.V. Freedom is a boat for the disabled, having full wheel chair access approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Health and Safety Executive.

A trip on Freedom offers a unique service for the benefit and enjoyment of people who may have a disability or learning difficulty, or who may be elderly but still young at heart

Fundraising Requirements

Freedom travels some 50 miles a day in the six months of the summer. The costs of running such a vessel are £12,000 + per year and include insurance, fuel, lifesaving equipment, fees, licences and general maintenance incurred over the season.

How do we raise Funds

After a lot of support in freedoms early years with fund raising there came a time when original members started to decline and a gap in fundraising as it became increasingly hard to find new blood!

However funds have always been raised through organising events such as dances, raffles, coffee mornings and involvement in local events such as carnivals.

Current friends of the M.V.Freedom have re introduced collection pots which have been distributed locally these have proven to be a good way of promoting awareness of Freedom as well as providing a steady trickle of Income.

We have also received donations from private individuals and local organizations.

Fundraising in the future

We continue to get occasional donations from private individuals and local organizations.

Freedom herself helps to raise funds by devoting a small proportion of her time to working with the Portland National Sailing Academy and the R.Y.A.

Aims and objectives for the future

Friends of the M.V.Freedom will continue to raise funds and to invite contributions to assist in providing a specially designed boat to enable the disabled and elderly a chance to participate in sea going activities.

We would also like to develop this by helping young people able and disabled to experience the thrill of being out on the open water.

We already work closely with National Portland Sailing Academy Sailability and Royal Dorset Yacht Club.

Help for Heroes was founded by Bryn and Emma Parry in October 2007 out of a desire to help the wounded Servicemen and women returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. The message of the charity is simple: We are strictly non political and non critical; we simply want to help. We believe that anyone who volunteers to serve in time of war, knowing that they may risk all, is a hero. These are ordinary people doing extraordinary things and some of them are living with the consequences of their service for life. We may not be able to prevent our soldiers from being wounded, but together we can help them get better.