Talking Newspaper in front of the cameras

The manager and volunteers at Borders Talking Newspapers were making the news themselves recently, rather than just reading it, when they were filmed for an upcoming edition of Border Life on ITV Border Scotland.

Presenter Emma Baker and cameraman Iain Forsyth visited the Border Talking Newspaper’s premises in Duns to film the production of a whole edition of the talking newspaper from start to finish.

The crew then went on to visit Hawick to speak to a listener.

The programme is now scheduled to be broadcast on ITV Border Scotland in February.

Borders Talking Newspaper produces a weekly audio digest of local newspapers (including The Berwickshire News, The Southern Reporter and The Hawick News) across the Borders, except the Peeblesshire News which is covered by another organisation in Peebles.

Most of the work is done in the Duns studio but, in order to fit in with production schedules, another team works in Hawick to record the Hawick News.

Border Talking News is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation,and as such is governed by a board of trustees, and depends on its pool of around 70 volunteers to maintain its record of continuous production over 23 years. The recordings are sent on data sticks to listeners who are visually impaired or cannot read papers for other reasons.

It can also be heard online at www.btn.org.uk where there is more information about the service.

As with all charities, funding is always needed and the Borders Talking Newspaper raises money in various ways.

There is a monthly draw, costing £24 per year to enter, and with a prize of £50.

This is open to anyone who might want to support the project’s work.

BTN Enterprises offers a service of recording any type of material to help public bodies, businesses and other charities to meet equality requirements.

The scheme is also grateful to listeners who give donations and charitable Trusts who give grant funding.

If you would like to know more about the Borders Talking Newspaper, maybe to become a volunteer and learn some new skills or to be a listener, contact manager Wendy Moss on 01361 884206 or [email protected].