£1,000 grant to fund the cost of 60 blind-friendly USB playback machines and equipment. 

The Calderdale Talking Newspaper serves visually impaired local people.  Volunteers create and distribute 30-40 local news stories in audible format every week, plus sports reports and magazine articles, taken from local papers with their permission.  For people who are physically unable to read newspapers or magazines papers it provides a very welcome connection to the wider world.  Each episode is distributed on USB sticks to approximately 120 beneficiaries, who each have a play-back machine with sight-impaired buttons.

Melvyn Cross, Trustee, said “Thank you so much for the generous grant. It will be put to use immediately as we have a waiting list of people waiting to be provided with a playback machine and to be put on our distribution list. The weekly produced news stick is distributed to appreciative listeners throughout Calderdale and brings a welcome interlude to the week. Four friendly voices arrive through the letterbox and give an inclusive news report at a very personal, local level."

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