Our History

 

A Talking Newspaper has been in operation in Canterbury since 1965 when our Founder Dennis Eldridge, who was suffering from increased loss of sight, asked his wife to record the local news for him on audiotape so he could listen at a convenient time.

 

Dennis was a home teacher of the blind and disabled employed by the Canterbury City Council a County Borough responsible for providing services to all categories of disabled people. He very soon realised a need existed for a Talking Newspaper service for other visually impaired individuals and so set about arranging support. The local Red Cross organised transport to enable him to visit interested clients to play them the news tapes. As demand for the service grew support was enlisted from the Canterbury Rotary Club, Lions Club and local Blind Association.

 

The news has always been taken from the Kentish Gazette newspaper which has been very supportive over the years. This is reflected by the fact that two generations of Chairman of the owning company the Kent messenger Group have been our Patron. Geraldine Allinson is the current Chairman of the Group and Patron of the Canterbury and District Recorder.

 

In 2006 we were very surprised and honoured to receive the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, which was presented to us by the Lord Lieutenant of Kent.

 

A major advance in technology occurred in 2010 when we moved from recording on cassette tapes to USB Sticks. We provide players to listeners who require them in order to listen to the news and additional programmes.

 

In 2015 we designed and developed a web site for the Charity. A fitting way to celebrate 50 years of service.