## Trustees Report 2024 - 2025 Causeway Talking News (formerly Coleraine & District) Charity No: 103499 

## Introduction 

The Coleraine & District Talking News (now Causeway TN) has for 48 years been providing a free audio service to those in our community who have a range of visual impairments. This year we have once again produced, on CD, forty-nine 80-minute audio programmes of local community news, useful information on disabilities, items of historical interest, quizzes, humour and music. We aim, in the best tradition of public service, to entertain, educate and inform. We cover the length and breadth of the borough and beyond. 

## Current listenership...........45 

This figure fluctuates annually and throughout the year due to bereavements, relocation etc. Covid affected our listenership significantly with our numbers halving over the course of those two years. However, our service is hugely appreciated by our listeners with whom we continue to maintain a strong personal connection with weekly name checks, birthday greetings and special wedding anniversary congratulations. 

Committee ycscscesccisssiissenoneen Volunteer sicsscsesssssivecl 6 Frequency..................weekly Trustees Barry Williamson (Chairperson) Sharman Wilson (Secretary) Alwyn Hayes (Treasurer) Julie Russell Maureen McLean David Terrett John Cunning (Listener Representative) Ruth Elliott 

## Honorary President David Barnes 

We sincerely thank our four loyal reliable reading teams who turn up every week and whose input is invaluable. 

## Core Activity / Public Benefit 

The purpose of our charity is to support blind or partially-sighted people and those living with some temporary or permanent incapacity or disability which makes reading a strain, by the provision of news and other information via audio recordings or digital transmissions together with the discretionary provision of equipment considered necessary to use such transcriptions. We continue to fulfil our key purpose as stated above. This work has contributed directly to our listeners’ ability to take part more fully in local activities and to keep them informed of events relevant to them, thus providing a social outlet to those who might otherwise be isolated from their local community. Libraries NI duplicates from our master CD and, using the free service provided by Royal Mail, sends out individual CDs to each listener on a weekly basis. Our sincere thanks go to both these organisations for their invaluable help and continued commitment. There are currently nine Talking Newspapers operating in Northern Ireland, using various methods to deliver to listeners including CD, USB and podcast: Mid-Antrim, Causeway (formerly Coleraine), Craigavon, Downpatrick, Fermanagh, Mid Ulster, Newry, Newtownards, North Down and Strabane. 

## Finances 

It is important to recognise that, while our expenditure is reasonably stable, our income is totally dependent on grants and gifts. The committee continue to research and pursue a variety of funding sources. We ended the year with a small operating loss of £60. 

## Equipment 

We maintain a supply of CDs and Freepost Wallets with Libraries NI in Ballymena. We encountered no technical problems this year and continue to monitor this aspect of our work. 

## Location 

One year on, we are well settled in Flowerfield Arts Centre, Portstewart. We appreciate the spaciousness of our new premises and the friendliness of all the Flowerfield staff who have made us feel very welcome.