Who are Wealden Talking News?
Wealden Talking News is a registered charity producing weekly USB memory sticks of news taken from the local papers.
What do they do?
They produce 4 editions each week, from their studio in Cherwell Road, covering different areas of East Sussex – Heathfield and the surrounding villages, Crowborough & Uckfield, Hailsham & Polegate, Seaford & Newhaven, as well as a magazine each month, which is produced by one of our blind trustees.
Is there a subscription charge?
No, the service is completely free of charge to people who are visually impaired. The sticks are mailed out weekly, via the Post Office, who kindly send items for the blind, free of charge. The listener does not even require a computer – the sticks are plugged into a small simple device, which they provide, also free of charge, when a new listener joins. We visit the member and show them how to use the memory stick, which arrive in the post.
Run by Volunteers
We have around 70 volunteers who give their time freely in our studio, either sorting which items of news will be of interest to our listeners, reading and recording the items and mailing the sticks out, as well as general tasks in the office and visiting new listeners. Volunteers work as little as 2 hours a month but some do much more and we can never have too many volunteers!
We rely entirely on donations from the public and local businesses and fundraising events and have an annual street collection to help to pay for the equipment we have to purchase from time to time, as well as the rent and overheads for our office and studio.
More volunteers needed
We are currently urgently in need of volunteers who would be prepared to give two or three hours once every three weeks to take on posts as readers, recorders, editors, copiers and packers. Training is provided “on the job.” Why not give some time to help the blind and partially sighted and enjoy doing so with a group of likeminded people.
If you would like to know more about us please visit our website www.wealdentalkingnews.net or ring us on 01435 862304 where you can leave a message on our answerphone, as the office is not manned every day.
Please note: We are not connected to the National Talking News, which is also based in Heathfield, in Brownings Road, which produces national newspapers, magazines and books.
Article kindly supplied by Robert Eaves on behalf of Wealden Talking News.
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