The Talking Newspaper movement is dedicated to bringing local news to the visually impaired. But there’s been a gap for several months since the charity which used to record an audio edition of The Northumbrian magazine closed down.

But now another local charity, the Tynedale Talking Newspaper (TTN) has taken up the mantle and is once again recording the bi-monthly magazine as a free service to the visually impaired.

“For many years, TTN has recorded a weekly audio version of the Hexham Courant, and a bi-monthly magazine called Tynedale Talking, and we know from listener feedback just how valued those services are in keeping visually impaired people connected with the community,” explained TTN chairman Dr Tony Newton.

“So when we heard the charity which had produced the audio version of The Northumbrian had closed, we felt we really had to step in.”

Doing that proved to be no easy task, as the timing coincided with the start of the Covid lockdown and the steep learning curved needed for TTN and its volunteer readers to work out how to carry on producing its weekly offering of the Hexham Courant using remote recording technology.

“Bringing the audio edition of The Northumbrian under the TTN umbrella is particularly important to me personally because it joins the dots between a charity that I chair and care deeply about, and a magazine that I’ve written for on subjects as varied as water divining and salmon smoking,” said Dr Newton.

The Northumbrian flavour of the new recordings are greatly enhanced by the inclusion of musical interludes from well-known Bellingham based folk/jazz duo LanderMason, who have very kindly given TTN permission to use music from their CDs royalty-free.

“It’s wonderful to be invited to have our music used for such a great cause, and perhaps to bring our brand of Northumbrian music to a whole new audience,” said Fiona Lander.

Paul Mason, the other half of the LanderMason duo agreed: ”With so much live music having fallen victim to Covid restrictions including Baa-Fest, which Fiona and I organise, it’s nice to know that our music is being listened to in households across Northumberland and even wider.”

Jane Pikett, publisher and editor of The Northumbrian, said: “It’s great news that an audio version of The Northumbrian will continue. The fact that a group of wonderful volunteers are prepared to put their time and effort into making our content available to the visually impaired across the region deserves huge credit.

"We are delighted to work with TTN in bringing The Northumbrian to an audience which would otherwise be unable to access it.”

The audio edition of The Northumbrian is free to those who are registered blind or can have TTN’s application form signed by a health professional as being visually impaired.

Listeners can play recordings on their own computer, or on a player specially designed for the visually impaired, which TTN can provide on free loan.

If you or anyone you know would like to receive recordings of The Northumbrian call TTN registrar, Ed Turnbull on 0740 009 6937 or email reg@ttnweb.uk.

TTN is on the web at www.ttnweb.uk