About the Talking Newspaper

The Epsom and Ewell Talking Newspaper is a free service for people who have difficulty reading text. It is not necessary to be registered as blind to receive the newspaper.

The Recordist and two Readers in the studio, getting ready to record

We are a registered charity, affiliated to the Talking Newspaper Federation, and are fortunate to have The Mayor of Epsom and Ewell as our Honorary President.

Recording

Every fortnight, our News and Magazine Editors carefully select articles of interest for the upcoming issue. The content has an emphasis on items of local interest and consists of three main sections:

The News – taken from local news sources

The Magazine – with a varied selection of articles, recipes, poems and jokes

The Supplement – with articles both of general interest and of special interest to the blind and partially sighted

Our Readers meet with the Sound Recordist and Editors in the studio every other Thursday. Together they produce the next edition of the Talking Newspaper.

Distributing

The recording is copied onto memory sticks. These are then placed into dedicated plastic envelopes and posted to our Listeners. Royal Mail makes no charge to send the package to visually impaired people.

A Talking Newspaper memory stick lying on a table next to its envelope — A Talking Newspaper memory stick with its envelope

Listening

Listeners can enjoy the latest edition of the Talking Newspaper by placing the memory stick in a computer or a dedicated player called a ‘Boom Box’. We are happy to provide you with a Boom Box for no charge.

Returning

The memory stick is reusable, so we ask that, after listening, it is returned in the same envelope. The envelope has a two-sided address label in a clear plastic window, one side has your address and the other has ours. Listeners need simply turn this label over when returning the envelope. Again, Royal Mail does not charge for this service.

The Talking Newspaper explained

Richard Wheeler explains how to subscribe to the Epsom and Ewell Talking Newspaper.

FAQ

Get quick answers to your Frequently Asked Questions:

Which areas do you cover?

The Epsom and Ewell Talking Newspaper is made available for residents in Epsom, Ewell and nearby areas.

Do I need to be registered blind to use the Talking Newspaper?

The Talking Newspaper is for anyone who is blind, partially sighted, or are unable to read normal text easily.

Do I need Internet access to use the Talking Newspaper?

As the Talking Newspaper is distributed on USB memory sticks, no Internet connection is required.

Do I need specialist equipment to use the Talking Newspaper?

The Epsom and Ewell Talking Newspaper can be played on a ‘Boom Box’ which we can provide for free.

Is there a charge for the Talking Newspaper?

The Talking Newspaper is entirely free for our subscribers.

Do I need to pay for postage when receiving or returning the memory stick by post?

The Royal Mail does not charge visually impaired people for postage for this service – and neither do we!

Subscribe for free to the Talking Newspaper

If you are visually impaired, or know someone who is, find out how to receive the Talking Newspaper.

Become a Listener