 | TALKING NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION OF THE UK |
The Talking Newspaper Association is a registered charity that provides
national newspapers and magazines on to audio cassette, floppy disk, email,
CD-ROM or through a Bulletin Board Service for blind, visually impaired and
disabled people. Over 185 titles are available and more than two million tapes
a year are despatched from the National Recording Centre in East Sussex. TNAUK
is also the umbrella organisation for over 500 local Talking Newspaper Groups
nationwide who record local news on tape for blind people. 1996 saw the expansion of this unique service to include people who because
of a physical disability find reading a considerable strain. There are over one
million visually impaired people in the UK and over six million registered
disabled, so the potential for the service is enormous. The listeners membership fee of £25 (1999) for a maximum of 10 titles
only covers one third of the annual operating costs. TNAUK receives no
government funding and therefore for the remainder relies completely on
donations from charitable trusts, companies and individuals. The long term objective is to continue to provide those unable to read
through visual impairment or physical disability with the same access to
information, newspapers and magazines as sighted people have to print. This
will help greatly to break down the barriers of isolation, providing enjoyment
and forming vital links with the community.
Talking Newspaper Association of the UK
National Recording Centre
10 Browning Road
Heathfield
East Sussex
TN21 8DB  01435 866102
 01435 865422
 http://www.tnauk.org.uk
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