For the past 11 years, the Tenby Talking Newspaper syndicate has prepared tapes of the Tenby Observer for visually impaired persons wishing to receive them.

The group comprises five teams of volunteers who, in rotation, edit, read and record tapes for distribution by Royal Mail to their clients across (and even beyond) the normal circulation area of the newspaper.

Over the last 12 months, using the expertise of Jason Thomas, technician to the performing arts department at Greenhill School, they have sought to improve the quality of those readings. Prompted partly by increasing difficulty in obtaining a supply of tapes and by aging cassette players, they have been pushed 'over the edge' to offer digital CDs to receivers.

Monday afternoon of this week saw some intensive in-house training for representatives of all five teams.

Today (Friday), all those who have hitherto been receiving tapes are being canvassed as to their facilities at home to play CDs. It is anticipated that most will have the capability to accept this option as the 'Talking Books' programme do provide good quality CD players to their clients. It is not the intention to withdraw the tapes option until all recipients are ready for the change.

CDs that will be sent to recipients will be of the non-reusable variety. This will be for (largely) economic reasons, but will of course mean that they will not have to be returned at all to the co-ordinator as at present.

That is on the plus side of course; but, on the other hand, costs of these materials will now run to about £10 per week (£500 annually). The organisers do stress that there is no cost at all to recipients, but the Talking Newspaper do look for donations from anyone who would like to help.

On Tuesday morning, they were delighted to receive a cheque for £300 from the Seniors' Section of the Tenby Golf Club. This is not the first such donation from the Seniors. Previous equally large donations have helped to purchase the CD recorder and copier; and this present sum will help to cover running costs for some months.

In the golf report in this issue, there is a photograph showing the presentation. The chairman of the Tenby Talking Newspaper group, Mrs. Eva Rich, who is herself blind, went along to receive the cheque, supported by Miss Mavis Owen, MBE, whose sight is failing. Miss Owen enthused hugely about the new option of a CD reading; and Mrs. Rich was eloquent in expressing her appreciation of the donation.

The big change-over, when both CD and/or cassette will be available, will take place with the Good Friday issue of the Tenby Observer.

If any readers of this column know of any friends or neighbours who might benefit from this free service, please do get in touch with Mrs. Rich (tel. 01834 812868). Equally, if you should wish to support the service by donating, Mrs. Rich will be glad to hear from you.