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TALKING NEWSPAPER AWARDED A NATIONAL LOTTERY BLUE PLAQUE - 12 Sep 2005

Cue and Review Recording Service, East Dunbartonshire, had something extra to talk about this week when Jo Swinson MP, Shadow Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, presented the Bishopbriggs project with a National Lottery Blue Plaque, in recognition of its outstanding achievements since receiving Lottery funding

Cue and Review is Scotland's largest independently funded talking newspaper group, transcribing 22 print magazines and newspapers into audio formats for the benefit of visually and reading-impaired people.

A Lottery grant of ?48,165 from the Big Lottery Fund allowed the charity to purchase much needed hi-tech recording equipment, which enabled it to more than double its turnover and reach an extra 5,000 people in a year. This was achieved by building partnerships with public and private sector organisations and encouraging them to make their print information available in audio.

The project is the brainchild of Alastair McPhee, who started his first talking magazine at Bishopbriggs High School, working out of a store cupboard. He commented:

We're extremely honoured to receive a Blue Plaque in recognition of the impact Lottery funding has had in allowing us to expand the scope of our work. The new equipment has not only helped us to offer the service more widely but it has also improved the quality and turnover of our recordings. It has also benefited our volunteers who have found their confidence, skills and moral have improved through working with the equipment

On receiving the Blue Plaque on behalf of Cue and Review, Jo Swinson commented:

I was honoured to be asked to receive this award on behalf of Cue and Review. It is a tribute to the work of Managing Editor Alastair McPhee and the 60 plus volunteers at Cue and Review that they have received this commendation. The service has grown up locally and now serves people across a wide area. It is the kind of invaluable facility that deserves every support and encouragement.

Cue and Review works with over 60 volunteers, and provides a unique opportunity for younger and older generations to mix, helping to breakdown prejudices and stereotypes between the elderly and young people.

Dharmendra Kanani, Director, Big Lottery Fund, Scotland, said: Cue and Review is an amazing project, which enables visually and reading-impaired people to participate more fully in everyday life, by keeping them informed of current affairs and news. There are over 188,000 registered blind and partially sighted people in Scotland alone that can benefit from this service, and we're delighted to play a part in their success.

Alastair is now keen to encourage producers of print to do more to tell their blind customers about their products. Be it newspapers and magazines or restaurants who are now making their menus available on cassette.

To become a member of Cue and Review ? Print Speaking to Britains blind please telephone 0141-563-0306 or email information@cueandreview.org.uk

Statistic from the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)