Schools throughout Wales will take part in a special week dedicated to promoting the work of Talking Books Wales between 23-27 October. Pupils at primary and secondary schools will be asked to use their imagination to raise money to help the Carmarthen based charity and devise ways of promoting its work for those with sight problems.
Following last year’s successful Light a Candle Week-end , which raised over £30,000, organisers are hoping, by involving school pupils, this year’s campaign can reach out even further and present a challenge for young and older pupils.
“There are over 1500 schools in Wales. A few were involved last year, but we thought that we would concentrate on the younger generation this time,” said Sulwyn Thomas chairman of TBW. “There are at least 1000 children in Wales with sight impairment and we are very keen to provide audio books for them, in both English and Welsh, along with what we record for the older generation.
“ We have around 500 people who depend on our voluntary service at present. Yet, we know that there many more who could avail themselves of this service, and , as we have found out before now, children are good at taking the message home to parents and grand parents. Identifying new listeners is as important to us as the financial challenge of sustaining our service.
“ There are many imaginative ways of raising money and we will be very happy to publicise all the efforts and ideas, with pictures, on our social media platforms during the course of the special week of activities. If every school were to set a minimum target , say, of £50, the total would be a tremendous contribution indeed.”
TBW is a registered charity, founded in 2010. It was formerly known as the Welsh Cassette Scheme, established in 1979 by Rhian Evans, who lost her sight in the seventies. Over 2,500 “books” have been recorded since then, together with monthly recordings of community newspapers and magazines. All availabe free of charge.
For further information please contact Sulwyn Thomas 07778435765 / Rhian Evans 01257235195 or Linda Williams 01267238225.
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