Published: February 19, 2009
Highbridge sixth form students become newsreaders for a day

Sixth form students from Highbridge's King Alfred School gave up a day of their half-term holiday on Wednesday (February 18th) to record news stories onto audio tapes for local blind and partially-sighted people.

After a morning of rehearsing, they met at the studio of the 'Sounds and Voices' service in the Old Courthouse in Jaycroft Road, Burnham-On-Sea.

Five students - Hadley Brown, Verity Capel, April Coombes, Emily Lang and Julie Emery (pictured above) - read out articles from Burnham-On-Sea.com and the local press.

Although some of the students are studying drama in the sixth form, none of them had any previous experience of reading into a microphone.

Editor Tony Deahl and sound engineer John Bryan were impressed with the clarity of their speech and the way they conducted themselves.

Tony told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "The students can be very proud of themselves. They were a credit to themselves and their school. All of the students enjoyed their day and are keen to repeat the experience later in the year."

As well as news items, the audio tape contained an interview with town councillor Derek Cooper, who is Burnham's Deputy Mayor.

Tony's interview with him concentrated on Derek's adoption and how he found, and met, his natural mother after 66 years. It was a fascinating story - just as interesting as anything from the BBC programme 'Who Do You Think You Are?'

'Sounds and Voices' sends out tapes fortnightly to about 80 recipients. Shortly, the service will be going digital with memory sticks replacing the now obsolete tapes.

The cost of the memory sticks and equipment for blind people to use to play them has been bought as a result of generous donations, as covered here earlier this year.