Friends Of MV Freedom, a group of volunteers based in Weymouth, have been honoured with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.
The group have provided access to the sea for those people living with disability since 1984 and have recently taken delivery of their fourth boat, a twin-engine motor catamaran which provides sea trips along the Jurassic Coast, Portland Harbour and Weymouth Bay.
The Chairman of the Charity Dirk Aldous said:
“Our charity has carried tens of thousands of delighted passengers over the years, and for this honour and recognition on top of the delivery of a brand new boat for this season after nine years of fundraising, could not have come at a better time. It is a huge tribute to the hard work and commitment of our volunteers over many years, and particularly to the generous donations received from every element of the Weymouth and Portland communities and beyond. I hope that all our supporters will feel able to share with us, our delight and pride in this wonderful moment in the Charity’s history!”
Friends of MV Freedom is one of 241 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of nominations remains high year on year showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those around them.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation. Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse. They include volunteer groups from across the UK, including an inclusive tennis club in Lincolnshire; a children’s bereavement charity in London; a support group those living with dementia and their carers in North Yorkshire; a volunteer minibus service in Cumbria; a group supporting young people in Belfast; a community radio station in Inverness and a mountain rescue team in Powys.
Representatives of Friends of MV Freedom will receive the award crystal and certificate from, Angus Campbell, Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset later this summer. Furthermore two volunteers from Friends of MV Freedom will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2022 (depending on restrictions at the time), along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
In August 2020 John Shepherd interviewed Dirk Aldous for our ‘Ridgeway Magazine’ programme (Wednesdays at 11am). You can hear the interview below:
Find out more on the MV Freedom website
We are very grateful to Gary Hepburn of www.WykeRegis.TV for supplying the photos below.
Also see this excellent video of the arrival of the new MV Freedom vessel: https://www.facebook.com/WykeRegisTV/videos/499376117905926
