Funding fears for Talking Newspaper after 40 years service

Rotherham Talking Newspaper was established in 1982 to provide a service to people who are visually impaired, or unable to hold and read a newspaper or magazine due to age or disability.

Every week the team of two part-time staff and around 25 volunteers produce an 80-minute audio recording of local news, taken from the Rotherham Advertiser, as well as a 60-minute magazine of short stories, poems and quizzes which reach between 500 and 600 people.

Co-ordinator Roy Beachill said of the small charity, based at Rosehill Park Hall in Rawmarsh: “When we first started we uploaded it to cassette (which is still available) and moved on to CD and now also USB flash drives.

“We have managed to expand the service as times move on and can offer to anyone who has a broadband connection or Alexa and Google smart speakers.

“That helps us to service a wider group of people but it doesn't help us donations-wise,” he said.

”When we first started it was in collaboration with Rotherham Council and we got a grant of £14,000 a year.

“But in 2008 the council withdrew its funding – I'm not having a go at the council because this was due to budget cuts and other things went with it such as Meals on Wheels.

“Since then we have self-funded to keep our valuable service running and my responsibility, along with the board of trustees, is to secure funding and grants to sustain us.

“But as time goes on that gets harder and harder – a lot of grant providers only want to fund projects.

“We have to pay for our services, our costs, heating and electricity, and wages – which we have kept down and taken pay cuts.

“We believe we can get through the next nine months or so – but that's if nothing changes.”

To donate or fundraise for to the service call 01709 522429, www.rothnewstalk.co.uk or email [email protected].