Serving the visually impaired since 1978
How Things Started – 1970
The first Talking Newspaper was founded in Aberystwyth by librarian Ronald E. Sturt. Initially, ‘reel to reel’ tapes were hand delivered to about 20 listeners.
It described the local library, helping the visually impaired negotiate the building and its contents.
More and more information was added and eventually included local news and events.
Gathering Pace – 1974
Within four years, talking newspapers were established across the UK.
In Heathfield, Ronald E. Sturt and Ted Davies founded the Talking Newspaper Association of the UK (TNAUK), to support the widest possible access to those who could benefit.
Affiliated Talking Newspapers provided local news and information, while the TNAUK distributed national news and a variety of magazines…from Womans Weekly to Science Today.
Roundabout Talking News – 1978
The new cassette tape led to many Talking Newspapers being formed, the majority between 1971 and 1985.
Many Talking Newspapers partnered with their local Blind Society, Round Table, Lions Club or Rotary, who became their main supporters and source of volunteers.
Free Postal Service
TNAUK negotiated with the Royal Mail for free postal delivery for the visually impaired and this is still in use today for local Talking Newspapers.
The National Service was initially free of postal charges, but during the 1990s a small charge was made in order to improve the service.
Talking Newspaper Enterprises Ltd
In order to raise funds TNEL was formed. It charged companies such as M&S to record catalogues, company accounts etc., so that they were accessible to visually impaired customers.
Horsham District Council previously paid Roundabout Talking News to record their information, but budget cuts resulted in this service being terminated.
Since 2000 …
At the Millennium, there were around 530 Talking Newspapers …. all charities in their own right, affiliated to TNAUK. Today, that number is closer to 300.
In 2005, TNAUK transferred its local Talking Newspaper responsibilities to a new organisation – the Talking News Federation.
RNIB took responsibility for national news and other titles in 2013.
Today …
Roundabout Talking News is recorded and distributed every week. Our listeners are in Horsham and the surrounding villages – some much further!
We feature local news from West Sussex County Times and All About Horsham.
There is also a 30-minute magazine, which includes ‘What’s On’ at local cinemas and theatres, local sports and other amusing and interesting articles.
Receiving Roundabout Talking News
New listeners receive an easy-to-use memory stick player, which we will deliver and explain.
Every week we send a new memory stick, and listeners return the previous week’s in the same envelope.
It’s all free of charge!
Weekly recordings can also be accesses via:
- 01403 850851 charged as a local rate call
- Talking Newspaper app for smartphone, tablet etc.
- This website see listen section
- Your Alexa smart speaker
Putting it all Together
All team members are volunteers – we have around 40, split into editing, news readers, magazine readers and technical teams.
We edit, then record every Thursday afternoon.
Memory sticks are fast-copied before the wallets are mailed on Friday morning…
…to arrive on Saturday.
Telephone and online editions are available every Friday.
Covid Couldn’t Stop Us
We were determined to maintain the important connection between our listeners and local news and events.
Recordings were made at home by our volunteers.
These were compiled into weekly news and magazine editions by our hard-working sound engineers.
Distribution continued uninterrupted!
No Fixed Abode!
Over the years, Roundabout Talking News has been based:
- In a room at the Health Centre
- In a cupboard at Collyers School
- At Freemans Undertakers in Market Square
- In the loft at former chair Jon Dean’s house
- The Drill Hall in Denne Road (currently under renovation)
- Today, we operate from Orchard Lodge in Warnham
- In 2026/7 we hope to return to The Drill Hall
Editing
Reading
Recording
Fast Copying
Distributing
We Always Need …
- Volunteers for all teams – a couple of hours per month.
- Friends and family to introduce us to their visually impaired loved ones.
- Spaces to put up posters to advertise our service.
- Organisations to allow us access to their members.
- Companies who are able to support us financially in return for promotion through our publications.