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What Is the Kingston Talking Newspaper?
The Kingston upon Thames Talking Newspaper provides a free biweekly audio digest of local news and information for visually impaired residents living in the borough.
Each edition is delivered on a memory stick, posted directly to listeners using the Royal Mail Articles for the Blind free postal service. There is no charge for this service. A free sovereign box is also available for anyone who requires one.
Our news content is drawn from local newspapers, helping listeners stay informed about what is happening locally. Each edition also includes a short magazine section, featuring updates from the local authority and other organisations that provide useful information for people with sight loss.
How Does It Work?
Each edition is prepared in advance. On Thursday mornings, one of our producers creates a master recording at our studio in Surbiton. Any late‑breaking announcements—such as changes to bus routes or other important local updates—are recorded at this stage to ensure listeners receive the most up‑to‑date information.
At the same time, postbags containing returned memory sticks from the previous edition are collected. The address labels on the pouches are reversed and prepared for reuse.
The recording session involves three volunteer readers and a producer and usually finishes around midday. Once recording is complete, copying begins. When all copies are ready, the pouches are delivered to the local sorting office so they can reach listeners—ideally by Saturday morning.
How Can You Help?
The Kingston Talking Newspaper relies entirely on the dedication of volunteers to read, produce, and distribute each edition.
We are currently looking for volunteers to help on:
- Wednesday afternoons
- Thursday mornings
Support is especially needed with tasks such as:
- Transporting postbags and pouches
- Logging and processing returned items
New volunteers are always welcome. If you can spare a few hours and would like to make a meaningful contribution to your local community, we would love to hear from you.
Contact Details
Email:ktnews64@gmail.com
Telephone Brian Gaff on 0208 287 4180
Kingston Upon Thames Talking Newspaper
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