The Carlisle Talking Newspaper marked its 40th anniversary with a well-attended Tea Party at The Auctioneer.

Established in 1983 as a project by the Rotary Club of Carlisle, The Carlisle Talking Newspaper, formerly known as The Carlisle Talking Newspaper for the Blind, has over the years become a vital source of weekly news for the visually impaired, enjoyed by more than 60 listeners and volunteers.

Enlisting volunteers from a broad spectrum of local communities such as the Carlisle Rotary, Brampton & Longtown Rotary, Soroptimists, Carlisle Society for the Blind, and Wigton Road Methodist Church, the service also engages independent volunteers.

These committed teams create a digital recording of headlines from The Cumberland News and the News and Star every week in the Talking Newspaper studio located in Carlisle.

In addition, a monthly, extensive recording termed 'The Magazine', containing articles of general interest picked from publications like The Dalesman and Cumbria Life, is prepared.

Listeners receive these recordings on USB sticks, delivered in distinctive yellow pouches, via the Royal Mail's 'Articles for the Blind' free service.

For those without the necessary equipment, a dedicated player is supplied.

The Carlisle Talking Newspaper is a completely free asset, accessible not only to those officially registered as blind but also to the partially sighted and those having trouble reading.

Interested individuals seeking further information can write to The Talking Newspaper, P O Box 84, Carlisle, CA2 5UX, email carlisletn@btconnect.com, or leave their contact details at 01228 511133 on the answering service.