History Of Wickford & District Talking Newspaper

 

The first United Kingdom Talking Newspapers for the Blind were set up in the early 1970's. Now, over forty years later, there are well over 500 Talking Newspaper groups operating in the UK. Their day-to-day running costs are normally met by fund raising activities, donations or local authority grants.

Almost all Talking Newspapers are charities and were originally sponsored by one of the service organisations such as Lions International, Rotary or Round Table. Wickford and District Talking Newspaper for the Blind was originally sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wickford and started life in 1977. We are pleased to say that the Rotary Club still keep an active interest in our activities.

 

During 2007, Wickford & District Talking Newspaper took over the circulation of "Town Crier", the Talking Newspaper for Basildon, gaining several experienced and valuable members of the recording team in the process!

Many of you may be familiar with our previous premises, the old house known as Priority House, shared with The Old People's Welfare in Old Southend Road, Wickford. This was our base for a long time but due to the re-generation of Wickford we were accommodated in temporary premises for 2 years until June 2008 when we moved into a large sound-proofed studio within the new George Hurd Centre in central Basildon.