Four volunteers have totalled 130 years’ service with Horsham’s Talking Newspaper for the visually impaired.
Roundabout produced its first recording at the end of 1978 by which time Gill Charman had already been the visually impaired representative on the committee for six months; a position she still holds to this day.
Gill says, ‘Round Table came up with the idea of a talking newspaper for Horsham and generously provided the funds to start us off on our free weekly service. Social Services wrote to the known visually impaired people in the area and asked if they would be interested in a talking newspaper to which the response was a resounding YES.’
Barbara Lunn was one of the original readers of the news taken from the West Sussex County Times. Barbara remembers that ‘in those days we recorded the news at Forest Boy’s School’.
Jon Dean joined the committee in May 1979, was made chairman four years later and continues in that role today.
Finally, Sheila Lewis joined as a committee member in June 1982 and became treasurer in May 1983 and remains so today.
Sheila comments that ‘being a volunteer for Roundabout is really rewarding; we continue to hear from our listeners that they really appreciate the service and there is nothing better than knowing that we have a lot of satisfied customers out there’.
Roundabout Talking News produces free weekly recordings on memory sticks or via its website giving the visually impaired people of Horsham and the surrounding district the chance to keep up to date with the local news from the West Sussex County Times.
Anyone who knows of a ‘VIP’ (visually impaired person) in the Horsham area who would like to be included for the free weekly service, is asked to get in touch via the website at www.roundabouttalkingnews.co.uk or by telephone to myself, the secretary, on 01403 891306 or the chairman Jon Dean on 01403 266924.
MARTYN FIELD
Secretary, Roundabout Talking Newspaper, Market Square, Horsham
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