Dear LPG Readers, 

There are many voluntary groups that could do with a little help these days and we at LPG can attest to that.  But another such organisation is the Lewisham Talking News.  They are the organisation behind the recorded weekly magazine which is dedicated to making sure that not having 20/20 vision doesn’t mean that any Lewisham resident needs to miss out on current affairs and what is going on in the borough.

So many will remember the Lewisham Talking Newspaper but may not know that they have changed their name.  It is also often assumed that they extend their services to the blind and that is absolutely right, although many people with a recognised eye condition, or an officially recognised degree of sight impairment may also be eligible to receive their postal service. 

The recordings serve as an up-to-date way for the blind to access and enjoy all the information they have to offer.  Those with a recognised eye condition make up a large proportion of people who use the organisation’s postal service, and the recordings are also available via the internet.  We all know that as we get older our eyes are one of the senses that have a habit of letting us down a little. 

Talking News records a weekly news and current affairs programme which is sent to their listeners by post on a computer memory stick, and they provide each of their service users with a machine that the memory stick plugs into so that it can be heard.  This is a really simple process while, for those who are more technically adept, the memory stick can be played on a lap top and is also available on their website.

Their recorded programmes include national and local news from sources like the News Shopper, poetry readings, recipe ideas, topical reports, letters from the mayor, a monthly article about various eye conditions and much more.  They are always interested in getting requests from their listeners about subjects they would like to hear featured, and offer interviews and talks with people of interest.

As mentioned at the beginning of my message, they too are looking for volunteers and fear of reading out loud should not discourage you.  They have lots of non-voice recording rolls that they need to fill which anyone could take a little time to help them with, but if you are interested in becoming one of the occasional talking newspaper voices please don’t let the fear of reading put you off.  Once they get the hang of it many of their people record items from home rather than in their studio.

They have a request or two and ask that, if you are one of their listeners who now listens by inserting your memory stick into a laptop, please let them know so that they can collect the listening machine and pass it onto a new client.    They would like you to know that their postal service is there for anyone who has a diagnosed eye condition while they are accessible to all visually impaired people via their website so, if you know someone who would benefit and perhaps does not know, please pass on their details and help them to get in touch, and stay in touch. 

To contact them telephone; 0208 699 9399.

Maureen B
(for LPG)

Please visit and listen to the Lewisham Talking News website… 

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…and LPG adds some information on this week’s celebration…

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