“I’ve always addicted to ..this service God-send for

Robert Clark is a selfconfessed news addict.

So when the 91- year- old started to lose his sight, he was left devastated.

Every week the Cambusnethan man would buy the Wishaw Press and read it from front to back.

But when he could no longer make out the words on the page, Robert realised it was time to stop buying the paper.

It wasn’t until a chance meeting with an old friend a few months later when he heard about the Wishaw and District Talking Newspaper.

Every Thursday, Robert now gets his fill of news, thanks to the hardworking group. And he can keep his finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the community.

He said: “I’ve always been addicted to the news.

“Even now I’ll make sure I’m in the house every night to see the news at six.

“Every Wednesday I would head out to buy the paper, but a few years ago my eyes just got worse.

“I stopped buying all papers and it was really hard for me because I always liked to see what was going on. You don’t get that with the news on television.

“I met someone in Tesco and they asked if I’d seen something in the paper and I told them about my eyesight.

“That’s when I first heard about the Talking Newspaper and managed to get the service set up by the following week.

“We get the discs in every Thursday and I listen to it straight away.

“It’s life-changing for me because I’m able to get back to what I was used to. “It’s a god-send.” Robert is one of many users across Motherwell and Wishaw who use the group.

Robert, who was a chemical office manager for 32 years in Glasgow, believes more people could benefit from the Talking Newspaper, who record in Laurel Drive, Craigneuk.

Not only can Robert and his peers keep in touch with the latest goings on in the area, the service also comes with an added bonus.

Robert said: “I was amazed when I found out it was free!

“I thought I would have to pay, even if it was the cost of the paper each week, but the fact it costs nothing makes it even better.

“I think it’s important people know that the service is there for them because it’s been great for me.

“Every week I look forward to it coming in the post on a Thursday so I can find out what’s going on.”

I stopped buying all papers and it was hard for me