Talk of the town
Volunteers celebrate 35 years of news
East Kilbride and District Talking Newspaper is celebrating a milestone year, serving the town for more than three decades.
For the last 35 years the charity, which is solely dependent on donations, has worked tirelessly to bring all the best local news to the visually impaired.
For fifty weeks of the year an army of 50 dedicated local volunteers record the East Kilbride News in audio format so the blind are kept abreast of the latest events in the town.
From humble beginnings at the Newfarm Hobbies Centre on Strathaven Road – where the studio was soundproofed with egg boxes – the charity has called the custom-built attic of the EK Arts Centre home since 1995, when former EK News reporter and Newstape volunteer Lorraine Kelly opened the new Arthur Curtin Studio.
From there EK Talking Newspaper delivers the news to 80 loyal local listeners.
The majority are visually impaired but the invaluable service also serves as a lifeline to people suffering from arthritic problems.
Founded in 1981 by the late Arthur Curtin, whose daughter Maureen is one of the charity’s longest serving volunteers, the charity is proud to have produced recordings of the highest standard for three-and-a-half decades.
Charity stalwarts Sophie and Lindsay Forsyth have collectively dedicated over 50 years to the charity.
Sophie (66) has volunteered since losing her sight in one eye in her late teens. The pensioner, who still works in accounts full-time, said: “My involvement has spanned a good number of years and I have always been proud of our high standard of audio recordings and the fact that the charity has always kept the listeners’ requirements uppermost in their operation.
“We have moved with developing technology, going from the humble cassette to the now very popular USB system.
“Hopefully we will continue to keep providing the visually impaired with this service.
“Unless you experience vision loss, it is hard to appreciate how valuable the spoken word really is.”
There are 72 talking newspapers in Scotland and, at its peak 10 years ago, Newstape delivered current affairs to around 200 weekly listeners.
Sophie’s husband Lindsay put the loss of listeners down to a number of reasons.
He said: “Eighty doesn’t seem like a great deal when we were sending out around 200 tapes a decade ago but some people don’t like to admit that they’re vulnerable and need the help and sadly many people have passed away.”
Moving with the times, the charity upgraded from cassette to USB and issue each listener with a USB player through charity donations and lottery funding.
Their readers are mostly elderly and retired but there are some in their late 20s and 30s and their youngest volunteer is 18 years old.
Lindsay (70), a retired lorry driver, added: “We give readers a fair spectrum by doing the headlines, intimations and sport.
Unless you experience vision loss, it is hard to appreciate how valuable the spoken word really is
“We read the full story but select the articles we think would be of most interest, especially to the visually impaired.
“For example, any crimes involving bogus callers can help warn the vulnerable and school stories are always good as they may include their grandchildren.
“You really feel like you’re accomplishing something by getting local information out to those who would otherwise not be able to get it.
“We even get listeners calling us up to congratulate us on a good recording.
“We wouldn’t have lasted as long as we have without our incredible volunteers.”
The Whitehills couple were invited to the Queen’s garden party at Holyrood last year for their achievements with the town’s talking newspaper.
Newstape also record the Scottish Farmer, which is distributed throughout Scotland, and the volunteers now produce their own monthly magazine Hear About, which includes fun features and interviews while highlighting items especially for the blind.
Sophie said: “This charity would not have survived this long without the dedicated volunteers who have worked and do work tirelessly 50 out of 52 weeks each year to get a recording completed and out to the listener.
“We have administration, editing, technicians and readers each week and much thanks to the Royal Mail for their part in delivering within 24 hours of picking up the completed recordings.
“A huge thank you must go to the Arts Centre staff, who are fabulous with us and do everything they can to help when we need it.
“To those founder members, who all these years ago set up this very worthwhile service: your efforts do not go unrecognised.”