Volunteers

Producing the Talking Newspaper is a complex task, using the skills of a large number of volunteers. New volunteers are always welcome. Contact Us

Volunteer Roles

Newsreader

Each copy of the talking newspaper requires several newsreaders. The main requirement is a clear reading voice. A simple audition will be held to check that you are happy with the role. Readers arrive at the studio at about 8:45am on a Friday morning and are usually away again by 10:15am. You can read as frequently or infrequently as you want. Most readers do around one session per month.

Volunteer Editor

The Editors carry out the first task of each Friday we are recording. The main skill for editors is to be able to assess which stories are to be included and if any cuts need to be made. Arriving at 7:45am it's their job to dissect the most recent editions of the Grantham Journal and prepare the storyboards for the newsreaders. Relevant items from the Lincolnshire Echo are also used.  This job is usually complete by 9.15am but some editors will then stay on the perform other roles. 

Technician

To achieve the highest quality standards, we use professional audio and copying equipment. The "newspaper" is recorded in studio conditions using techniques we have been developed and refined over the years in order to reach and maintain the highest standards possible. Some of the skills needed by technicians are: sound recording of the 4 or 5 newsreaders, and basic computer use to do the digital conversion and produce the master CDs. Training will be given to those with an aptitude for this type of work. The technician work begins at around 8:30am on a Friday with the preparation of the studio and is completed by 11:30am after the master CDs have been produced. 

Distribution

Each week all of the returned cassettes and padded envelopes in which the newspaper is distributed have to be recorded. This is one of the jobs carried out by the processors. The padded envelopes are then prepared for the next distribution. After the cassettes and CDs have been produced a sample number are tested to make sure that everything is OK. The cassettes and CDs are then packed, and finally the mail bags are carried over to the Post Office for distribution. The distribution team meets on a Friday morning from 9.30am. The task is usually complete around 11.30am.

CD Copying

The Grantham Talking Newspaper is distributed on CD. Once the programme has been recorded and the master CD has been produced by the recording technician, we use high speed copying machines to produce the copies for distribution. The use of the copying machines can be learnt in a few minutes, and we always have an experienced person around when new volunteers are doing the job. It would particularly suit a person with practical skills.

Administration

All organisations need a degree of Administration, and Grantham Talking Newspaper is no different. We try to keep administration to a minimum of course, but inevitably as a registered charity there are laws that we must comply with. We also have an ongoing need for new committee members (trustees). The skills we need for this include one or more of the following:

    • experience in the governance of charities

    • experience with talking newspapers

    • being blind or sight impaired

There is also an occasional need for people with secretarial and financial skills.