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They're the talk of the town!
AS you walk into the small office of the South Tyneside Talking Newspaper Association, the thing you're struck by is how efficient it all is.
Based at Perth Green Community Association in Jarrow, Newslink as it's also known, may be a small-time operation, but it's one run with military precision by the team of 20 volunteers.
These include former teachers, lecturers, solicitors (including one with an MBE), engineers and even a surgeon.
Twice a month, they split into two teams to produce 90 minutes of material each, which is recorded on to tapes and then posted to 150 visually-impaired people throughout South Tyneside.
Each volunteer looks after a specific job, be it news gathering, reading, recording or distribution.
However, they are not averse to mucking in when needs be, as Newslink's chairman Linda Sharpe, explained.
"The producers, and some of us also double up as presenters, collect interesting news stories from the Gazette and other newspapers which are then read out.
"We also usually interview someone who has an interesting story to tell, or information which we feel would be appreciated by our listeners, often based around the work they do or some project they are involved in.
"As well as that, a short story is chosen and read. We hope that the combination of news, interviews and stories creates a tape worth listening to."
The retired primary school teacher, who has been involved with the project for almost 20 years, then filled me in on how Newslink was started in 1985 by Rotarian Dick Bianchi.
After his death, the good work was carried on by his wife Lilian, and when she subsequently passed away, the couple's daughter Carol Cooke and her husband David took up the baton.
David is now one of the presenters on team one.
Today, though, it was team two's turn, and already reading in the 'shed-like' booth was Ethne Brown, a puppy walker for Guide Dogs For The Blind, who became a volunteer after first being invited for an interview.
"We try to make the articles as interesting as possible. I look for a good story," said Ethne.
Her time, it turned out, she gladly gave up, as she had first-hand evidence of how much the service is appreciated.
"I love doing it. My friend Marjorie Smith loves getting the tapes and everything that's on them.
"I know lots of people who can't read the paper as they can't see the words any more."
This was echoed by Linda, who said: "I really enjoy it. I feel as if we are doing something worthwhile. We know this is in fact the case from the feedback we get from the listeners."
Having listened to various articles being read out, I was eager to give it a go.
This meant, however, Ethne had to get out of the booth, as there was only enough room for two.
The advice for this type of reading is much like that given to children when speaking in an assembly; talk slowly, clearly and try not to mumble.
"Do you have a red light to tell people to shut up?" I asked Linda.
And yes they did, though it wasn't like one of those flashing police siren ones you see over the door in films.
It was more of a LED on a stick which you can see through the booth's window.
Apparently it works well though, especially when it starts flashing to let presenters know they need to wind things up.
The article Linda chose for me to read was one by my Gazette colleague Andy Hughes about Scandinavian tourists coming to North East England.
I tried a bit of banter after too, but soon ran out of things to say.
Kudos to radio DJs for being able to blab on for hours.
It's hard ad-libbing.
When I asked how I'd done, Linda replied: "You were very good and you'd be welcome to read for us any time."
I was happy with that.
Listening very intently to what had been said were perhaps the two most important people in the office – the recording engineers.
These were Chris May, 65, of Sunderland, who was the former head of South Tyneside College's Marine department and retired engineer Frank Harrison, 76, from Cleadon.
Having recorded the articles being read out, the pair then add collected interviews and short stories, and intersperse the whole lot with bursts of music.
"I'm interested in sound as a hobby," said dad-of-two Frank.
"I'm very happy to do it. It's a real pleasure to help the partially-sighted."
"Me too" added Chris. "I just think it's a worthwhile thing to do."
Though I knew they worked with cassettes, it still felt a little retro to see the 16 duplication machines all whirring away to make the tapes.
"They're just starting to give us trouble so we are in the process of converting to digital recording," Frank added.
The charity is in the process of securing, the money for this technological change-over.
Linda said: "We are looking for funding to change to the digital technology. We quite often receive donations from our listeners so that money will go towards the new equipment. In addition, we are applying for funding to the Northern Rock Foundation."
Hopefully, this should be forthcoming some time this year.
So finally it was on to the distribution desk, manned by dad of two George Daykin, 77, from Cleadon, who was counting out the tapes with his wife Anne.
The retired seaman, who is the group's registrar, explained how the yellow envelopes are equipped with ingenious labels, which the client merely reverses and posts back to Perth Green CA – free of charge – once they have listened to it.
"That way we can see how many people still require the service."
Having loaded in the last of the tapes, he gave a satisfied smile that his work, at least for a fortnight, was all done.
"I enjoy doing it and helping out. It's a good cause."
That it is.
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Weather for South Shields
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
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