Our History
In the Beginning Gerry felt that a town the size of Swindon should have its own talking
newspaper to cater for the growing number of visually impaired people in
the local community. He approached various charitable organisations and
eventually the Rotary Club agreed to buy the basic equipment. The first edition of the tape, known as STAN, which is a corruption of
its abbreviated title, was produced in April 1982. Home Sweet Home In October 1983 the upper floor of the local blind association’s
headquarters became vacant and a room, which had previously been the
caretaker’s lounge was converted into a recording studio and control room. 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 is now under the control of Swindon Borough Council as the new
unitary authority.
Stepping forward
The Swindon and District Talking Newspaper
Association was formed in 1981 as the result of a local blind person,
Gerry England, hearing a similar tape produced by a group of people in
Scotland.
The Association initially had no
premises of its own and this led a nomadic existence, carrying recording equipment
from place to place and copying the tapes on one fast copier in someone’s front room.
Contributors found themselves recording the tapes in such diverse places
such as the fully equipped studio of Swindon’s first cable television station
or the producer’s attic!
Registered Charity No. 284665
stan@swindontalkingnews.org.uk
Telephone 01793-522511