Worthy cause supported by Royal and Select Masters

Royal and Select Masters, Sesqui-Centenary Appeal! The North Midlands District. One of the organisations on the frontlines, offering vital support to Masons, their families, and the wider communities where we live and work are The Long Eaton & District Talking Newspaper for the Blind & Partially Sighted. which received a £2,000 grant.

District Grand Master for the North Midlands District, Stephen Bradford, is seen presenting the cheque to Jackie Lynn Bennett, one of the Organisers of the Long Eaton and District Talking Newspaper, on Tuesday 29th July 2025.

The Long Eaton & District Talking Newspaper for the Blind & Partially sighted started back in 1978, some 47 years ago and has around 400 listeners within their geographical area that covers Erewash to Broxtowe and a little beyond. There are 100 folk who listen through ALEXA, 150 on through their Website (longeatontn.org.uk) and everyone else who listen to their Talking Newspaper through direct subscription, which offers even more entertainment, all completely free. Every three weeks they upload 90 recordings to Alexa and their LETN Website, as well as posting an Audio Memory Stick which includes the additional RNIB Magazines Programmes like Woman’s Weekly, Woman’s Realm, Peoples Friend, BBC Music, Gardeners World and more. All of this includes around 40 hours of listening pleasure of local News, Stories, Poems, Articles & Current Affairs, and many more all completely FREE OF CHARGE to those who are Blind or Partially sighted, who find reading difficult, if not impossible. This Talking Newspaper has 45 volunteers, consisting of eight Trustees, twenty-five readers who use a variety of devices to record their contributions in their homes, three editors, five technicians and 10 administrators who carry out all administration of their listeners, register pouches and memory sticks at their Sawley headquarters. Anyone wanting the full subscription, needs only to contact them and they will provide you with a Synaptic player to keep at your home, and then they will send you a memory stick every three weeks to listen to at your leisure. This is 100% completely free service for anyone who is Blind or Partially Sighted within the Broxtowe and Erewash Areas.