A CHARITABLE organisation that helps connect visually impaired people across Winchester with their local news has celebrated a milestone.

The Winchester Talking Newspaper (WTN), which records stories from the Chronicle on to memory sticks for the blind or visually-impaired to listen to, held its 25th annual general meeting recently.

One of the founding members, Peter Bogan, 94, attended, as did Mayor of Winchester Cllr Eileen Berry and Simon Parsons of British Wireless for the Blind Fund.

Chairman of WTN, John Richards, said: “I think the reason it has been so successful is because it keeps sight impaired people in touch with their local news.

"Whereas many of the readers are sighted and are able to go and buy the Chronicle, or it is delivered through their letterbox, our 100 or so listeners cannot do that and it’s their main way of staying in touch.

“A lot of the people are really quite elderly and are not computer literate.”

The talking newspaper now has 80 volunteers and is currently upgrading its recording equipment.