![]() About Us Organisation Management The Swindon & District Talking Newspaper Association (STAN) is an independent registered charity (Registered Charity Number 284665) based at Craven House, 145 Victoria Road, Old Town Swindon SN1 3BU. The talking Newspaper is run by volunteers, and managed by a committee elected annually, according to the Constitution. Like 500+ other local talking newspapers we are affiliated to TNF but retain our autonomy. Membership All listeners and volunteers are automatically members of the Swindon Talking Newspaper Association. Membership is free to listeners and volunteers. There are currently 40+ volunteers and around 200 listeners. Funds Although the listeners receive the memory sticks free and volunteers give their time for free there are expenses that have to be met. The memory sticks that are sent to blind and visually impaired people are sent out and returned by the Post Office under the Articles for the Blind regulations at no charge to the organisation or the listener. STAN pays the cost of postage for disabled people. Swindon Borough Council meets the rent and utilities costs of the studio. Many organisations such as Rotary, Round Table, Lions, Companies, Staff organisations and many individuals make financial contributions. Premises We have studios and offices on the upper floor of the
local blind association’s headquarters. Although the Association shares
Craven House with the Swindon Branch of the Wiltshire Blind Association,
it does not have the same security of tenure. For almost ten years it had
a ‘Tenancy at Will’ with the local authority which meant that the
Association could be forced to vacate the premises at short notice if
required. In December 1993, a three-year lease was signed with Wiltshire
County Council that allowed the Association to plan ahead with a greater
degree of confidence. The lease was last renewed in 2010 and now comes
under the control of Swindon Borough Council as the new unitary
authority.
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