Donations plea as Sheila tells how talking newspaper is vital service
Local talking newspaper charity for the blind and partially sighted Renfrewshire Sound is appealing for donations to continue vital service.
Article Source: Renfrewshire Sound
Last Updated: 19 February 2024 13:15
Sheila Maguire can’t read her local newspaper because of problems with her sight.
But she sometimes knows more about what’s going on locally than friends do – thanks to a talking newspaper charity for the blind and partially sighted.
Every week, the Paisley pensioner, who’s in her 80s, looks forward to receiving a small USB flash drive from Renfrewshire Sound, which she plugs into a USB player and speaker and listens to all the news from the pages of local newspapers.
Sheila has been using the free Renfrewshire Sound service for five years, but she was well aware of the good work the organisation does long before that.
Both her daughter, Anne and her late husband, Bill had been volunteers reading the news from local media outlets and recording it on to CDs and flash drives.
Now Renfrewshire Sound is appealing for:
• donations to help keep the service going to around 130 people who are blind or partially sighted;
• volunteers who would be trained to read and record the news from newspaper editions;
• and people who have sight issues to come forward if they want to receive their local news in the talking newspaper format.
Sheila said: “In the 1980s my late husband, Bill used to run our daughter to Renfrewshire Sound and sit waiting for her to finish her recording session reading the local newspapers.
“Then one night he decided he would put this waiting time to good use and he volunteered to read the news as well. Bill carried on volunteering for almost 20 years after that.
“Bill used to read out all the sports stories and one day we were in a supermarket and someone who heard us talking turned to Bill and said ‘I recognise that voice. You’re the man who reads out all the sports news!’.”
“At the time I never realised that one day I would need to use the talking newspaper service, but with my eyesight deteriorating, it’s become very important to me.
“I would miss it if I didn’t have the flash drives being delivered to me so I could listen to all the local news and stories about Paisley’s history.
“With Renfrewshire Sound you get all the news that you wouldn’t get on national radio or television.
“Sometimes I’m better informed about what’s going on locally than some of my friends who can read the papers.”
Renfrewshire Sound’s recording studio is in Barscube Terrace, in Hunterhill, Paisley. They send out more than 30 USB sticks and CDs to people who are blind or partially sighted every week and around 100 others access the service online. They have around a dozen regular volunteers who read and record the news every week.
Ian Glover is the chairman of Renfrewshire Sound, which started in 1981. He said: “It takes more than £5000 a year to keep the free service going and we rely solely on grant funding and donations from the public.
“Any money we get is gratefully received and every penny goes to making sure the service continues.
“We’d also love to hear from people who would be willing to volunteer to read the news. You don’t need to be a professional broadcaster and after a couple of hours training the new volunteers would be ready to get in front of the mic.
“But the most important people are the folks we serve to give them access their local news through our talking newspaper. We want more people to benefit from our service.
“For many people, we’re how they get to know what’s going on outside their front door, at the end of their street and in their town.”
Donations to Renfrewshire sound can be made online through Paypal or with debit and credit cards at www.renfrewshiresound.com
Sponsored Links
Latest Renfrewshire News
Annual recruitment event returns to Braehead Shopping Centre
On Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th September, Braehead Shopping Centre will host its 3rd annual recruitment event.
READ MORE
Online radio chat show going from strength to strength
When Rachael Smith started hosting her weekly chat show 'Buddie Talk' on Paisley Radio back in March this year, she never envisioned that it would take off quite as much as it has.
READ MORE
Award winning show Stuntman comes to Paisley Arts Centre
Award-winning Scottish company SUPERFAN will bring their high-octane smash hit Edinburgh Fringe show Stuntman to Paisley Arts Centre on Wednesday 17th September!
READ MORE
Spooky season returns to town with the announcement of Paisley Halloween Festival 2025
Paisley Halloween Festival will return to town next month to celebrate the spooky season with a packed programme of frightful fun for all the family!
READ MORE
Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival returns for its 12th edition
Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival returns for its 12th edition on the big screen in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling and Inverness from 1st to 19th October 2025.
READ MORE
Cineworld 4DX Rewind returns for 2025
Cineworld is excited to announce the return of 4DX Rewind this September across Cineworld 4DX cinemas nationwide!
READ MORE
Final countdown to the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run 2025 is on
Scotland's greatest running event, the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run, will return to Glasgow next month, and there’s still time to secure your place.
READ MORE
Marstons and Tom Shepherd join forces once more to serve up the best ever pub pie
Marston's and Michelin-starred chef Tom Shepherd have teamed up once more to serve up The Best Ever Pub Pie to locals across the country.
READ MORE
Edinburgh Fringe smash hit Oran embarks on first UK tour
Òran, the award-winning sell-out hit of the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe embarks on its first ever UK tour this autumn as company Wonder Fools take their work to a host of venues across Scotland.
READ MORE
M&Ds teams up with Zombie Infection for a heart pounding, live action horror attraction
M&D's is set to transform into Scotland's Scream Park with the launch of Zombie Checkpoint, a live action immersive horror experience creating a heart racing adventure not for the faint hearted.
READ MORE
Iconic films to take centre stage at Vue venues in Scotland
Iconic movies celebrating key milestones this year are returning to Vue for a limited run - including Steven Spielberg classic Jaws.
READ MORE
20 expert sessions at The Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show
The Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show will be packed with expert speakers when it returns to the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston on 4th – 5th October 2025.
READ MORE
A Taste of Loch Lomond Book launches with live cooking demo at the Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival
Love Loch Lomond will officially launch its new publication, A Taste of Loch Lomond – Stories and Flavours from the Bonnie Banks, at the Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival on Sunday 7th September.
READ MORE
Seriously fun ideas for your work Christmas Party
It might only be September, but the C-word is not too far away, so it's time to start thinking about planning the annual office Christmas shindig before everything gets booked up!
READ MORE
Winners of the 2025 Love Paisley Star Awards unveiled
The winners of this year's Love Paisley Star Awards have been announced.
READ MORE
Business Gateway launches its first ever Scottish Start Up Month
Business Gateway, Scotland's national business support service, has launched Scottish Start-Up Month, a nationwide campaign to celebrate Scotland's entrepreneurial spirit.
READ MORE
Young people bring colour to Paisley through new murals
Young people have created three vibrant new murals to transform an area of Seedhill, Paisley.
READ MORE
Iconic buildings across Renfrewshire set to welcome visitors for Doors Open Days 2025
Spectacular venues from across Renfrewshire will welcome visitors as part of this year's Doors Open Days.
READ MORE
Fresh new line up for one of the biggest FREE food and drink festivals in Scotland
Vikings, a pie eating competition, new celebrated chef and dog & duck shows set to bring new energy to Loch Lomond Food and Drink Festival this September.
READ MORE
From pouring pints to the red carpet: The Scottish Bar and Pub Awards 2025 crowns its hospitality stars!
The winners of the 2025 Scottish Bar & Pub Awards were unveiled on the 26th of August at a glittering, Oscars-themed ceremony held at the Doubletree by Hilton, Glasgow.
READ MORE
Best Croissant Competition returns for 2025
The Edinburgh Butter Company has announced the return of its ‘Scotland’s Best Croissant’ competition on Monday 13th October.
READ MORE
GlasGLOW announces all new show for 2025, inspired by the legendary 80s campaign that made Glasgow smile
itison has confirmed that GlasGLOW will return to the Botanic Gardens from 24th October – 2nd November for its eighth year and with its biggest show yet... GlasGLOW's Miles Better!
READ MORE
Historic Environment Scotland launches Talking About Heritage
People across Scotland invited to take part in national conversation about heritage.
READ MORE
Tickets now on sale for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo closes the drawbridge on its 75th anniversary Show, as tickets for next year go on sale.
READ MORE
Beat the Street is returning to Renfrewshire
An interactive game encouraging people of all ages to get active and explore their local surroundings is set to return to towns and villages across Renfrewshire this autumn.
READ MORE
Momentum builds at Braehead with surge in sales, footfall and leasing
SGS UK Retail has announced that Braehead Shopping Centre is going from strength to strength, headlining outstanding sales and footfall growth for the year to date.
READ MORE
Primark celebrates 50 years in Scotland with a wee nod to loyal Scots in all stores today
Scottish shoppers will hardly believe it when they see it today as Primark finally relents on one of its biggest brand debates after 50 years.
READ MORE
Christmas at Crieff Hydro returns with magical line up of festive activities
Scotland's best loved family resort, Crieff Hydro, has unveiled details of a specially curated programme of events as it prepares to welcome guests over the festive period.
READ MORE
Scots Language Awards 2025 shortlist unveiled
The shortlist for the Scots Language Awards 2025 has been unveiled, with figures from Scottish literature, theatre, education and business all in the running for awards at the annual ceremony.
READ MORE
Innis & Gunn wins double gold at the World Beer Awards 2025
Innis & Gunn has claimed double gold on the global stage, winning best in Scotland for the second year running at the World Beer Awards.
READ MORESponsored Links
Sponsored Links