Talking newspaper for visually impaired wants to expand

DO you know anyone that would benefit from an audio version of the Melksham News? 

Chippenham & District Talking Newspapers, which produces the Melksham Talking Newspaper has received a £500 from the Melksham Area Board, which will enable them to expand their service for blind, partially sighted, disabled or housebound people in the Melksham area. 

Trustee of Melksham Talking Newspaper, Brian Heath explains, “Now that we can afford it, we would very much like to enlist the help of the Melksham Independent News and its readers in reaching out to more people in the area who would appreciate and benefit from receiving our fortnightly recordings, and/or the weekly digest of news from the Chippenham, Calne, Corsham and Malmesbury, areas which we also produce.  

“We currently post about 60 copies of the weekly edition but only 23 of the fortnightly Melksham edition, four of which go to care homes, and we feel sure that there must be many more people in and around Melksham who would like to receive our recordings. 

 “Our service is aimed at any person or group of people with visual impairments or other difficulties, including housebound and/or lonely people, and indeed anyone who would appreciate hearing local news read to them by our volunteer readers.  

“The Covid-19 lockdowns have brought home to many of us just how good it can be to hear a friendly voice occasionally, especially for those who have few, if any, visitors.  

“We send out our recordings on USB memory sticks, which have large key fobs attached to make them easy to handle. The memory sticks are placed into sturdy plastic wallets sealed with velcro, and these have clear plastic label-holders attached into which reversible name and address labels are inserted.  

“Postage to and from the listener is free of charge, and we provide, also free of charge, a special speaker with large controls very similar to old-style cassette recorders, into which the memory stick is easily inserted; when the recording has been listened to, the USB memory stick is simply removed from the speaker and put back into its wallet, the address label is taken out, turned over and re-inserted, and then it is posted back to one of our volunteers to be prepared for next time! 

“None of this, I emphasise, costs the listener anything at all; we provide everything needed to bring local news into people’s homes in audio form on a regular basis. 

“I estimate that the £500 grant from the Melksham Area Board should enable us to equip and provide full service to at least another six or seven listeners in and around Melksham – all we have to do is find them, and hopefully Melksham News readers will be able to help us with this!” 

Volunteers needed 

Volunteers are also needed to help record the Melksham Talking Newspaper.  

Brian says, “We are also still keen to recruit one new volunteer, ideally from the Melksham area, who is willing to spare us about two to three hours every other Thursday afternoon to come to our studio in Chippenham to act as our sound engineer and software operator when our volunteer readers record the Melksham Talking Newspaper.  

“It’s an easy job to learn, full training and support will be provided, and you will not be left to ‘fly solo’ until you and we are confident you are ready to do so.” 

Anyone interested in becoming either a listener or an operator should please email the team at: chipptn@outlook.com in the first instance, or phone Brian on 01249 814005 or 07944 818971.