Solihull Borough Talking Newspaper

Solihull Borough Talking Newspaper Association

Solihull Borough Talking Newspapers Association

About

How SBTNA was started

Solihull Talking Newspapers was founded by Graham Walker who lost his sight in his mid forties. Graham was inspired by an item about talking newspapers for the blind which he heard on the radio (see the HISTORY section on this website). He decided to look into the possibility of establishing a talking newspaper service for the blind and partially sighted people of Solihull.

Funding for the recording equipment was originally donated by Solihull Association for the Blind.
The first edition was produced on the 1st April, 1977, on 90 minutes audio cassette tapes. Recordings are now made using memory sticks and are approximately of two hours duration.

Volunteers record and copy 25 editions of the Talking Newspaper and four editions of the Magazine each year.
Recordings are made in a purpose built recording studio, currently this is in The Core in Solihull. Over the years it has had a number of different locations including, Sutton Lodge, in Blossomfield Road i.e. No. 2 Blossomfield Road; Alice House ; The Priory and now The Core.
Duplication of the tapes originally took place in the lounge, on the landing and in the bedroom of Graham Walker and his wife Renee.

Renee said of Graham ” He was a modest man who gave all the credit for the Talking Newspaper to the people who gave of their time to produce 25 editions of the newspaper and the four editions of the Magazine, each year.”

Photos from the early days.