For many years the fortnightly editions of The Melksham Independent News have been recorded onto cassette tapes for blind or visually impaired people in the town and surrounding villages.
This has been done by a team of volunteer readers and recorders based in a small studio in Chippenham.
Gwyn Rees, on behalf of Chippenham and District Talking Newspapers said, “Once the recording has been completed the tapes are placed in special wallets and sent by freepost to our listeners every other Wednesday when the paper is published.
“Throughout the country there are many such ‘talking newspapers’, some continue to use cassettes but the large majority have changed to a more up-to-date digital format. It was decided after much consultation and research that Chippenham and District Talking Newspapers should do likewise.
“We were given demonstrations and guidance by a company, Kings Audio, who specialise in providing equipment and computer programs for the visually impaired, and who came recommended by the RNIB.
“Over the last few months we have bought all the equipment needed, not only to do the recording but also enough new speaker boxes to provide all our listeners with what, we are sure, will be an enhanced service. We are launching this new initiative today, 17th June, by which time all listeners will have been introduced to it and, where necessary, been given new speaker box.
“Talking Newspapers is a charitable organisation so the service comes absolutely free to all listeners, and because we have no official funding we rely totally on fund raising and donations.
“In all, we send out about 80 recordings, reading from The Gazette and Herald for the Chippenham edition, The Melksham Independent News for the Melksham edition, and The South Gloucester Standard for the Malmesbury edition. So there has been a considerable cost involved.
“We would like to acknowledge and thank a number of organisations who have very generously helped us in raising this money. We were awarded a 50% grant from the Chippenham Area Board, and also gifts from the Masons and the Lion’s Club, both in Chippenham, and also thanks to the many volunteers who have worked so hard in fund-raising events. The speaker boxes going to our Melksham listeners have been sponsored by Gerald and Lin Salter of the Melksham Dancers.
“We do get many positive comments from listeners who say that the weekly drop from the postman can be a highlight which helps enrich their lives. Through the medium of our recordings we enter our listeners’ homes and lives each week of the year and they often speak of us as their personal friends.
“We advertise our service through posters and leaflets in local libraries and public venues and we are always keen to hear from anyone who might like to take our recordings.
“If you should know of someone visually impaired who might benefit from the Talking Newspapers please let us know by contacting myself on 01249 659305 or Frances on 01249 657129. Or if anyone is prepared to give some time by volunteering to join us to be a reader we would be delighted to hear from you on the same telephone numbers.”
