A TALKING newspaper that serves blind and partially sighted people in the Keynsham area has just celebrated its 18th birthday.

The Keynsham and District Talking Newspaper began operations in the autumn of 1983 and is now distributed to hundreds of people who use the free weekly service to catch up on what has been happening locally in the news.

Chairman Bob Porton said the figures show what an incredible success the newspaper has become.

"When we began in 1983 we had a circulation of 18," he said.

"Now we have 240 people registered and we send tapes to Belfast, Cumbria, Cornwall, Devon and Wokingham.

"We are very pleased with the service and to serve so many people is a remarkable achievement."

The newspaper, supported by local churches, businesses and organisations, distributes a one-hour tape every week, containing news stories and magazine material plucked from the local media.

Mr Porton said: "The magazine side provides local information, interviews, shopping news, recipes and a wealth of interesting information.

"We started recording in people's homes but, through the generosity of local organisations, we raised sufficient money to buy the necessary recording equipment."

Mr Porton said that getting the tape out on time is a tight operation that relies on the newspaper's army of more than 70 volunteers.

"The tape is recorded on a Thursday and by 8.30pm the same evening we are ready to print the 240 tapes needed for our listeners," he said.

"These are then ready for the post team who collect the tapes from the studio on a Friday morning and go to the Post Office in Keynsham where the tapes are changed over and then dispatched in special yellow wallets for the blind."

For more information about Keynsham and District Talking Newspaper contact Mary Burnard on (0117) 9864087.