Portsmouth Area Talking News continues to provide its service for visually impaired people entirely from volunteers' homes

A NEWS service for visually impaired people has adapted to recording from home to continue serving the Portsmouth community.
Portsmouth Area Talking News is continuing to provide a service to visually impaired people. Pictured at the annual general meeting: Trevor Muston, recording engineer, Christopher Golding, chairman, and Janet Crabtree, treasurerPortsmouth Area Talking News is continuing to provide a service to visually impaired people. Pictured at the annual general meeting: Trevor Muston, recording engineer, Christopher Golding, chairman, and Janet Crabtree, treasurer
Portsmouth Area Talking News is continuing to provide a service to visually impaired people. Pictured at the annual general meeting: Trevor Muston, recording engineer, Christopher Golding, chairman, and Janet Crabtree, treasurer

No-cost audio service Portsmouth Area Talking News has had to end its weekly output of home-delivered memory sticks and switch to an online-only version that is produced entirely from volunteers’ homes.

Many other Talking News organisations across the country have closed completely, but the Portsmouth service is determined its blind and visually impaired listeners will not miss out, even though its studio in Walsall Road was closed suddenly.

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Christopher Golding, chairman, said: ‘Leaving our listeners stranded is not something we wanted and we felt there was a way around this; so the last batch of memory sticks that went out on Monday, March 23, contained a long-message explaining to listeners how they can access our website.

‘Sadly, we realise not all of them can do this. Many live alone and don’t have access to a computer. Even if they did, they may not be able to operate it without assistance.

‘They have our telephone numbers, though, and are free to call at any time and we can talk them through the process, if necessary. I hope as many listeners as possible will be able to make the switch.’

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The service has temporarily lost 60 per cent of its readers and other volunteers, but the tech-savvy remainder have enthusiastically embraced recording from home.

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They send their completed recordings to Trevor Muston, recording engineer, and to Christopher, who then edit and produce a particular edition and upload to the internet.

Chris, who has nicknamed his helpers The Magnificent Eleven, said: ‘I am very grateful to all the following who have worked so hard to ensure a smooth transition - Trevor Muston, Charles Timberlake, Tony Shepherd, Vanessa Marples, Janet and Ian Crabtree, Joy Day, Shirley Henley, Marilyn Waterman, Pat Huxtable and Anne-Lise Kadri.’

Although Chris realises it may take a little while for some listeners to adjust, from listener feedback so far there seems to be widespread satisfaction.

He also wants readers of The News to pass on the website information to any blind and partially sighted people they may know at patn.org.uk/latestrecordings.

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