Poole Harbour
Commissioners is supporting a local charity, Sports Forum for the Disabled,
by providing them with a free permanent berth.

Sports Forum for
the Disabled provides sailing opportunities for the disabled
and their carers on its 10-metre offshore sailing catamaran, Knoticat.

Knoticat, , based at Port of Poole
Marina, is run
entirely by volunteers and relies on donations and grants from charitable
trusts.

Last year the Poole-based charity took more than 500 people sailing in
Poole Harbour and along the Jurassic Coast.

Jim Stewart,
chief executive of Poole Harbour Commissioners, said: ‘We are delighted we can
help support a local charity that is so valuable in what they offer for the
disabled.

‘Sports Forum
for the Disabled provides a real hands-on sailing experience and we hope that
by berthing at our award-winning Port of Poole Marina they will be able to
provide even more sailing opportunities throughout the year.’

Knoticat’s chief
skipper, Ian Fisher, added: ‘The free mooring in Port of Poole Marina will make
an enormous difference to us and we are extremely grateful to Poole Harbour
Commissioners for its support.

‘It’s from generous donations like this that mean
we can continue to help the disabled.”

The catamaran,
which can sail a maximum of 11 persons, including two crew, has been adapted
for ‘roll on, roll off’ wheelchair access throughout.

All the ropes, lines and
controls lead to one wheelchair adapted steering position and passengers are
encouraged to steer and sail the boat with guidance from the charity’s highly
experienced skippers and crew.

Weather permitting,
the Knoticat operates five days a week and trips are free of charge.

For
booking enquiries, call 07889 970702 or email booking@sailing4all.org.