Published: May 28, 2012
Burnham-On-Sea Moose Lodge announces its charities of the year

Burnham-On-Sea Moose Lodge's new governor has named his two new local charities of the year, which the group will be fundraising for over the next year.

Governor Brian Mudge, pictured, has selected Morland Community Hall in Highbridge and Burnham's Sound and Voices Talking Newspaper for his term of office.

Brian explained his choices: "Morland Community Hall is a charity managed by the Sedgemoor Community Partnership. It operates in the fifth most deprived area of Somerset."

"It has a number of different facilities for residents of the Morland Estate in Highbridge also deprived wards in Berrow, Burnham and Highbridge together with other residents in Somerset who may be disadvantaged as a result of income, disability, or mental health problems or as a consequence of being a minority group."

"Morland Hall receives no automatic direct local authority funding and relies on funding and grants to carry out its extensive training programme."

"I have visited the premises and met with Richard Matthews, the administrator, who showed me around. I was most impressed with what I saw and feel that a lot of good work is being done to help the disadvantage residents but obviously need more support."

Brian also selected the Sound and Voices Talking Newspaper. "This is a small charity that helps to provide local information to the blind and partially sighted of the local community. Listeners are in and around Burnham and also cover Axbridge, Berrow, Brean, Cheddar, Highbridge, Huntspill, Mark, Shipham and Wedmore. Lots of information that others take for granted is not available to people with sight problems. Even Braille readers may not be able to access local news and events. Talking Newspapers lets one know what's happening on their own doorstep."

"Currently, the existing recording setup in the studio is in need of an upgrade. The computer has an old operating system and an antiquated recording software package. New software is needed. In addition, the cabling, microphone connections to and from the audio recording control console and the actual studio are beginning to break down. Again, there is no funding from local authorities and the group relies heavily on legacies and donations from local charitable groups in and around the local area."