Lord Lieutenant Reads The News

A vital service for blind and partially sighted people received a VIP visit on
Monday September 7th.

Peter Field, Lord Lieutenant for East Sussex took to the airwaves to make a
guest recording to help publicise the work of National Talking Newspapers and
Magazines in the lead-up to Talking Newspaper Week 13-19 September.

The Lord Lieutenant made a recording of the Daily Mail Digest to help raise
awareness of the charity, which records more than 200 popular newspapers and
magazine titles in a range of accessible audio and electronic formats for blind,
partially sighted and print disabled people across the UK and abroad.

The Lord Lieutenant said:  "This unique and invaluable service provides a
lifeline to many blind and partially sighted people. Losing one's sight is a
very isolating experience, but this service, along with local talking newspapers
up and down the country, helps people stay in touch with news, current affairs
and their interests. This means that they can still enjoy their previous
interests and hobbies, and helps keep people connected to the outside world."

In addition to audio cassettes and CDs, the charity offers publications in audio
download and digital full-text format. This means that if you own a computer and
screen reading software, you can access the full-text of up to eighty different
publications.

During his visit, the Lord Lieutenant also met some of the charity's 200 plus
volunteers, who play a vital role in keeping the service going. The charity was
presented with the Queen's Award in 2008 in recognition of the dedication and
hard work of its volunteers. The Lord Lieutenant is responsible for promoting
the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service across East Sussex.

During Talking Newspaper Week itself, the Heathfield-based charity  held taster
sessions for anyone interested in becoming a volunteer reader. This will provide
the opportunity to have an informal audition. NTN & M records 100 different
newspaper and magazine titles each week, with many of its volunteers giving
voice to the publications.

"It just would not be possible to provide the service without a large group of
volunteer readers," said Pip Price, the charity's volunteer co-ordinator.
"Because of the large numbers involved and the wide range of publications that
we record, we constantly need to recruit a variety of new voices.

"Volunteer reading need not take up a large amount of time. Becoming a regular
reader only requires a commitment of two or three hours a month. We receive
regular feedback from our listeners and it’s always good to know that your
efforts are appreciated and that the recordings make a real difference to the
lives of people that would otherwise find it impossible to access newspapers and
magazines."

For more information about National Talking Newspapers and Magazines, how to
volunteer or how to subscribe to the service call 01435 869 309 or email
info@tnauk.org.uk