Students from Highbridge’s King Alfred School gave up a day of their half-term holiday on Thursday (February 18th) to record news stories for local blind and partially-sighted people.
They read news items from Burnham-On-Sea.com and other publications for the latest edition of the ‘Sounds and Voices’ talking newspaper.
As well as items of local news that are not available in any other form to the visually impaired, Sounds and Voices also includes a magazine section, which this week featured an interview with Sheelagh Aslett, the retiring Head of Beechfield School in Highbridge.
School students Alec Cockram and Juli Emery from Year 12, Emily Lang from Year 13 and Verity Capel, who left at Christmas, gave up a day of their holiday to read Sounds and Voices studio in the Old Courthouse in Jaycroft Road following a morning’s rehearsal.
“Sounds and Voices produces a memory stick of local news and magazine items on a fortnightly basis throughout the year,” explained the Sounds and Voices Editor, Tony Deahl.
“These are distributed by post and recipients are able to play them on their own computers or ‘boom boxes’ provided on free loan to blind and visually impaired people.”
“Sounds and Voices is keen to offer its services, which are completely free, to anybody who would like to be included on their mailing list.”
“If neighbours, relatives, or friends of visually impaired people in the Burnham, Highbridge and Cheddar Valley area are aware of anybody who would benefit from this service please drop a note to Sounds and Voices, The Old Courthouse, Jaycroft Road, Burnham.”
Pictured are Alec Cockram, Verity Capel, Tony Deahl (editor), Emily Lang and Juli Emery at Thursday’s recording in Burnham Town Council’s chambers
