Sound Around Ards - the talking newspaper for the visually impaired

Sound Around Ards

In 1980, Newtownards Lions Club decided to start a talking newspaper for the visually impaired. At first they had nothing but a good idea! Ards Hospital Radio helped by allowing the Lions to use their recording equipment. The master tape then had to be taken over to Seacourt Teachers' Centre to be copied. The copied tapes then had to be brought back to Newtownards to be put in special pouches for posting. To begin with approximately 30 tapes were distributed fortnightly in the Ards area. Then, as now, the Post Office delivered the tapes free of charge.

After about two years' reliance on the goodwill of others, the Lions decided it was time to buy their own equipment. Through fund raising activities the Lions raised the £2,500 needed to buy the necessary recording and copying equipment.

With the popularity of the Talking Newspaper increasing, the Lions appealed for volunteer readers and editors, and this introduced non-Lions and female readers who were especially welcome to give variety to what was then an all male venture. By now nearly 50 tapes were going out every fortnight.

In 1984, Sound Around Ards, as the talking newspaper was called, became a registered charity with Trust status. The organisation and maintenance of the paper was handed over to a committee to look after the running of the service, although Lions remain as Trustees and are still involved.

In January 1987, a fresh appeal was launched for more volunteer readers and the response was excellent, including a regular commitment from the members of Ballyblack Women's Institute. It was decided to record the paper weekly instead of fortnightly, and the circulation increased to about 85 tapes distributed in Newtownards, the Ards peninsula, Holywood, Bangor, Comber and Ballygowan, and even further afield to ex-Ards folk who like to keep in touch. The committee launched a fund raising venture to update the recording and copying equipment and raised £4,500.

Sound Around Ards has had many "homes" but is now based in Ards Hospital. The papers recorded are the Newtownards Chronicle and the Newtownards Spectator. Both are available around noon on Thursday and members of the talking Newspaper take turns to be editor, being responsible for selecting newsworthy items to be recorded. Production starts at 7:00pm. Side one of the tape is for the news items, and side two may include other features such as poetry, a quiz, or other lighthearted magazine type material. Reading finishes about 8:30pm and the master tape is then recorded onto the tapes for distribution. These have been electronically "wiped" clean and prepared for production. The copying is usually finished by 9:00pm and the tapes posted by 9:30pm. Approximately 95% of the listeners receive their tape by first post on Friday morning - less than 12 hours after the papers go on sale.
As about 90% of visually impaired people receive talking newspapers (there are 23 talking newspapers in Northern Ireland) they are used to distribute information eg HSS tapes on "How to keep warm in winter", "The rights and services of VIP", etc. as well as "shop" catalogues on cassette - M&S, Boots and various others.

Sound Around Ards also provides a medium for young people working towards Duke of Edinburgh awards, BB President's Badge, Scouts and Guides Queen's Award, etc, by giving them the opportunity to attend over the required time for their community service. Sound Around Ards has also welcomed volunteer readers from the Bahá’í faith who commit themselves to service in the community in which they reside.

With the demise of the Bangor Lions Club, we are looking at ways of extending our distribution to their former listeners.

At the end of 2002, the Trustees managed to secure a grant of £5,000 from the National Lottery to go towards renewal of recording and duplicating equipment. This will enable the teams to duplicate tapes much more efficiently.

Recording Rota

Note 1 : The Talking Newspaper Trust provide the Technician, the Editor and the Readers for the Yellow Team. The Lions provide the Technician and the Editor for the Blue Team, but rely heavily on the volunteer readers mentioned above.

Note 2 : The first name given for both teams is the Technician; the second name given, for the Blue team, is the editor for that day; for the Yellow team, the trust will provide the Editor.

02 01 03 - Blue Team....: Lions Johnson and Charles
09 01 03 - Yellow Team : Lion Hamilton and Trust Members
16 01 03 - Blue Team....: Lions Trevor and Jack
23 01 03 - Yellow Team : Lion Hamilton and Trust Members
30 01 03 - Blue Team....: Lions Johnson and Neil
06 02 03 - Yellow Team : Lion Hamilton and Trust Members
13 02 03 - Blue Team....: Lions Trevor and Charles
20 02 03 - Yellow Team : Lion Hamilton and Trust Members
27 02 03 - Blue Team....: Lions Johnson and Victor
06 03 03 - Yellow Team : Lion Hamilton and Trust Members
13 03 03 - Blue Team....: Lions Trevor and Charles
20 03 03 - Yellow Team : Lion Hamilton and Trust Members
27 03 03 - Blue Team....: Lions Johnson and Victor
03 04 03 - Yellow Team : Lion Hamilton and Trust Members
10 04 03 - Blue Team....: Lions Trevor and Jonathan
17 04 03 - Yellow Team : Lion Hamilton and Trust Members
24 04 03 - Blue Team....: Lions Johnson and Neil
01 05 03 - Yellow Team : Lion Hamilton and Trust Members
08 05 03 - Blue Team....: Lions Trevor and Charles
15 05 03 - Yellow Team : Lion Hamilton and Trust Members
22 05 03 - Blue Team....: Lions Johnson and
29 05 03 - Yellow Team : Lion Hamilton and Trust Members
05 06 03 - Blue Team....: Lions Trevor and Dennis
19 06 03 - Yellow Team : Lion Hamilton and Trust Members
03 07 03 - Blue Team....: Lions Trevor and
10 07 03 - Yellow Team : Lion Hamilton and Trust Members



Please consider volunteering, even on an irregular basis.

To contact Sound Around Ards

Phone
Trevor Dillon on 9039 7202 (business) or 9181 9569 (home), email trevor.dillon@foldgroup.co.uk

or

Johnson Gordon on 9181 3996, or email johnsongordonbfs@aol.com


Page last modified : 05 January 2004

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