Local charity for the visually impaired urgently needs volunteers - find out how you can help

Talking Newspapers... it’s one of those charities you’ve probably heard of or assume you know all about, simply because it ‘does what it says on the tin.’

The Team record at Trinity House in Stafford and would appreciate more assistance from willing helpers

Yet, in this day and age where, language not only has changed but also our perception of disability for, now we tend to look for Ab-ility rather than DIS-ability. Similarly, attitudes have also changed because, whilst appreciating how much more these strong willed and talented visually impaired people can do, who simply have greater challenges than most, we realise that the word blind has such a wide definition. There are those who are visually impaired, with so many levels of sight but who all appreciate their involvement with Talking Newspapers.

A perfect example of what blind people can achieve is; Chris McCausland, dancing with Dianne Buswell on Strictly. Yet, he with all his talents, still lives in a world without colour and needs ‘audio’ to provide this priceless detail.

Several years ago, the Talking Newspaper for the Blind broadened the scope of their work to provide recordings to anyone with any disability that prevents them from reading. Local people with varying degrees of sight loss, appreciate the opportunity of ‘colour’ being added to their world by Talking Newspapers. A completely free service, keeps people in touch and up-to-date by providing local news, together with articles of interest and other snippets; perhaps of music or information how to avoid scammers.

Chairman Mike Hall has volunteered to send Audio news to homes across Staffordshire for the last 25 years

This relatively little-known charity, is run by kindness of committed volunteers, who have a range of jobs. The roles include; two editors, four readers, one technical operator, one link, two pre-production people, four copiers and mail sorters, together with a manager, an office and studio to provide this valuableservice.

Each fortnight the Stafford and Stone Talking Newspaper publishes a memory stick, which is playable on a MP3 player (on loan from them). The easy to use, memory stick is delivered by post in a yellow plastic pouch, with the only condition, to return it regularly. Service is given to listeners from Burton Upon Trent, Gnosall, Rugeley, Cannock, Stafford, Tipton, Walsall to Wolverhampton. A vast geographical area is covered from the studio in Stafford but to enable it to continue, we desperately need more volunteers.

Should anyone either wish to receive a Talking Newsletter or become involved as a much-needed volunteer, please contact Mike Hall staffordandstone.talkingnews@gmail.com.