Care home provider donates cash to Weymouth disability sailing boat

£500 has been given to the Friends of MV Freedom from Care South

Author: Faye TryhornPublished 9th Feb 2024
Last updated 9th Feb 2024

A charity providing accessible boat trips to people living with disabilities in Weymouth has received a £500 donation from Care South.

Friends of M.V. Freedom is the latest beneficiary of its Chairman’s 2020 Fund - set up to give back to community groups, services and organisations which directly benefit Care South’s residents and staff.

The charity operates a 10-metre motor catamaran specially designed and built to cater for wheelchair users and people living with a disability.

Each year they take out around 2,200 onto the water in Weymouth.

Volunteers from the charity were on-hand to receive the funds from Simon Bird, Chief Executive of Care South, at Buxton House care home based on Radipole Lane in Weymouth.

Simon Bird, Care South’s Chief Executive, said:

“The residents in our care at Buxton House look forward to their trips out with the Friends of M.V. Freedom and often say it’s one of their highlights of the summer. It’s fantastic to be able to give something back to the volunteers towards the maintenance and upkeep of the boat to ensure that the residents can enjoy trips out for many years to come.”

Buxton House in Weymouth has had their residents using the MV Freedom for a day out on the sea in recent years

The Mayor of Weymouth Cllr Kate Weller, who is President of Friends of M.V. Freedom, said:

“Our heartfelt thanks go to Care South for such a generous donation which will make a big difference. We love taking Buxton House’s residents out on the water as they enjoy seeing Weymouth seafront from a different perspective, feeling the breeze through their hair, smelling the salty sea air and feel like being out on the sea is an experience unlike any other."

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