Talking paper goes digital

After 30 years of using cassettes, Boston and South Holland Talking Newspaper for the blind and sight impaired have upgraded to digital recording and new premises. And the recordings are now available on memory sticks.

The charity is in need of more volunteers for all roles, including editing which can be done in the new studio or anywhere else at their convenience, as long as copy is handed in by 10am on a Thursday.

After many years of recording in George Street, Boston, alongside the South Lincs Blind Society, who own the premises, the talking newspaper has found a new home in the Len Medlock Voluntary Centre, St Georges Road. The studio is on the first floor, with a lift for anyone who needs to use it.

Recording takes place on a Thursday, late morning, with admin activity before and after.

It has taken 12 months for the organisation to go digital and it was achieved with funding from the Waynflete Trust, Evan Cornish Grass Roots, David Medlock, the Santander Foundation and local company Grantus.

Janette Baggott, the talking newspaper’s secretary, said : “It has been an exciting project to manage and very hard work as we needed to contact our listeners and be as sure as we could that they could manage the changeover. The majority are very happy with the new way of listening – two or three felt they could not cope with the change, which is sad but not entirely unexpected. New listeners have joined us who already have the means to listen to audio recordings digitally.”

l Anyone who is interested in helping can visit www.bashtn.org.uk or call Janette on 01205 359 037 before 6pm.