A CELEBRATION was held on Saturday for all the people who have helped the blind and partially sighted in Redditch keep abreast of the news.

Redditch Talking Newspaper celebrated its 30th anniversary with a party for its volunteers, benefactors and beneficiaries.

In 1976 Ewart Clarke, secretary of the local blind association, heard about the concept of talking newspapers and decided that was just what Redditch needed.

So he took a copy of the Redditch Indicator, which was taken over by the Advertiser in 1980, and recorded the news onto a tape with equipment bought with funding from Redditch Lions and the Round Table.

Copies of the tape were then distributed to about 30 blind people in the town.

Mr Clarke stepped down about 15 years ago and was succeeded by Harold Whitfield. When he died, Richard and Margaret Mountford, who were already volunteers for the organisation, took over.

Mr Mountford has now died but his wife is still at the helm, making sure as many blind people as possible get to know what is happening in the town each week.

Mrs Mountford said: "We want blind people to know exactly what has and is going on in Redditch news and sport without just having to rely on people giving them snippets from time to time.

"And we don't just supply to blind and partially sighted people but also to people who are unable to read or are unable to turn pages on their own.

"We now supply to 160 people free of charge."

The organisation has 32 volunteers who take turns to select news stories on a Thursday, the day after the Advertiser comes out, read and record them and distribute tapes.

It would be glad to hear from any other Redditch people who would like to take part and would also welcome calls from anyone who would like to be sent a tape or make a donation.

For more details, call Mrs Mountford on 451292.