Bedford Talking Newspaper (BDAN) Registered UK charity no. 802814

Back to Index page

	How to Get Involved with B.D.A.N. Revised: July 2008 1. Might you, or someone you know, benefit from BDAN's free tapes? A relative, friend or neighbour with sight problems or a disability that makes holding a newspaper difficult? 2. Would you like to give something back to your local community and meet new people in the process? 3. Do you have a spare two to three hours every few weeks? 4. Are you interested in audio recording and production? (no previous experience required) 5. Are you as an individual, business or organisation looking for a truly local charity to assist? If you answered "Yes" to one or more of the above questions, then why not make contact with BDAN - Bedford and District Audio News - the Talking Newspaper for the Bedford area, UK. Volunteers, listeners and members of the public alike, enjoy good company, warm weather and fine fare at the charity's second annual summer lunch and raffle at Biddenham, a few miles east of Bedford, in 2005 Listeners BDAN tapes currently reach over 250 people, but there are an estimated 1,000 other residents in and around Bedford who could also benefit from the free service. Do you know of anyone who might be interested in receiving the cassettes? Young or old, BDAN tapes are suitable for all. Most current listeners live locally - in north and mid Bedfordshire - but some are located further afield, across the UK. These listeners have a link or association with Bedford, but for any number of reasons now live elsewhere. If you, or someone you know, is blind or partially sighted and who would like to keep up to date with news from Bedford - no matter where you / they live in the UK - please make contact with BDAN. Don't worry if you, or the person you are enquiring for, already subscribes to a free Talking Newspaper, you / they will be able to take BDAN tapes as well - also, free of charge. A BDAN listener prepares to play his weekly Audio News cassette at home The charity prides itself not just on the quality, but on speed of its service Volunteering The charity is always interested to hear from prospective volunteer members and supporters. There are numerous roles available, from technical to administrative, reading to fundraising. In fact, some volunteers undertake a variety of tasks. BDAN is an equal opportunities charity - people of all backgrounds are welcome, and locally born and bred just as much as those who have moved to the area. (Please note: the charity normally suggests a minimum age of 18 years for volunteers) Do you have experience of working for another Talking Newspaper group? ...or of audio recording, reading for others, public speaking, fundraising, electronics, desktop publishing or marketing? If not, in fact whatever skills you possess, you are equally welcome to make contact, as any necessary training can be provided. There's more to BDAN than reading news: Left: Dennis Craddock welcomes visitors to BDAN's stall at the 2007 Clapham Show Above: Volunteers checking and sorting returned cassettes and wallets Members and supporters also receive a free quarterly newsletter with information about the charity's fundraising and social events. There is no charge or annual membership fee to join. If you would like to be involved with the production of tapes on a regular basis - and a suitable vacancy occurs - all you need do, is to be able to spare a couple of hours every six weeks. There is also a small 'pool' of standby volunteers, who can be called upon if a team has a temporary vacancy - for example, if a regular reader, sorter or technician cannot attend a session. Many volunteers find relief duties a useful way to begin - working with any of the six different teams as needed. New technicians are encouraged to 'shadow' an existing operator for at least one session before recording a tape on their own. Volunteers in action - packing cassettes and recording a weekly tape Right: Image courtesy Times and Citizen - photographer: Pete Felstead Donations - Personal, Organisation and Business As well as giving your time, another way to support BDAN is through a monetary donation. Large or small, any such gift is very much appreciated. BDAN is a registered charity (no. 802814) but recieves no money from the UK Government or the National Lottery. The basic recording equipment requires regular maintenance to keep it in full working order. And of course there are replacement cassettes and pouches to purchase and rent to pay for the studio space. From a few pence in a home collecting tin, to a regular gift, or an amount of money in a will or legacy, if you are looking for a local cause to support, then why not consider Bedford and District Audio News? Left: Feedback received from a BDAN listener If your business or organisation requires further information or would like to make a corporate donation, please do make contact. Please note however, BDAN is unable to provide commercial advertising on its tapes, promotional literature or website. Collecting Boxes The charity can supply collection tins on request. Perhaps you have a growing amount of copper coinage that you do not know what to do with. Why not have a BDAN collecting box to remedy the problem?! Bedford and District Audio News is also registered with HM Government for Gift Aid. If you are a UK taxpayer paying Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax, the charity can currently reclaim 28 pence for every £1.00 (GBP) you donate in a tax year. For a Gift Aid Declaration form, contact BDAN. Donating Equipment or Services If your company or business could offer the charity a service or item of equipment at a reduced rate, or for free, please get in touch. From old recording or broadcast equipment, to small items of furniture or help with, for example, printing or photocopying costs, BDAN would be pleased to hear from you. Cash For Cartridges - Recycle and help Bedford's Talking Newspaper! BDAN has entered into an agreement with a company to collect and recycle used inkjet printer cartridges made by Hewlett Packard (HP) and Lexmark. Bedford and District Audio News will receive £1.00 (GBP) for every cartridge submited! If you, or any friends or family are UK residents and would like to participate - especially if you or they work where a substantial number of cartridges are used(!) - please get in touch with the Chairman Delia Partridge (contact details below) for Freepost envelopes from the company. The process shouldn't cost you a penny, helps the environment, and supports BDAN at the same time! Why not have a look to see if you have any old HP or Lexmark cartridges and then give Delia a call or e-mail. Left: promoting the charity - Tony Parker and Dennis Craddock man the charity's stall at a disability awareness event in Bedford, 2006 Talks, Press and Publicity If your society, club, school, college, business, lunch / supper club or fundraising group would like to support Bedford and District Audio News, why not get in touch. The charity can offer a free speaker or representative with stall at, for example, a local fete or other such event. Please tell your friends and colleagues, but do book as early as possible to avoid disappointment. If your business, shop, library, school, GP surgery, community centre or church require a supply of our free promotional leaflets and / or posters, please ask. Requests to mention or establish a weblink to the BDAN site, should be made via the contact details below. If you are a member of the press or a broadcasting organisation, the charity will endeavour to assist by providing copy or information and / or an interviewee / spokesperson. Please contact the Chairman in the first instance and as far in advance as is possible. Feedback and AGM The charity welcomes feedback about its activities, recordings and website. If you have any comments, suggestions, questions or queries, please get in touch. BDAN holds an Annual General Meeting each spring. Pictured above right is a photograph from the 2007 event. Listeners, volunteers, donors and members of the public are all welcome to attend. Motions for debate and nominations for Committee positions must be made in advance to the Secretary (who can be contacted via the details below). If you are a former member, supporter or listener of BDAN, and have old recordings, photographs, papers, information or memories that you would like to share, feel free to make contact. A Message from the Chairman Delia Partridge 'I have great pleasure in welcoming you to the official web pages of Bedford and District Audio News. 'We have been recording the local news and features to tape since the late 1970s. However, we can only continue through the very generous support of our donors and volunteers. Might you be able to help us? BDAN volunteers are a friendly group of locally-based people, committed to providing a good quality free service that is so valued by our many listeners. The personal feedback and letters that we get show just how much BDAN tapes mean to those who receive them. Some of our listeners take our recordings even though they have moved from the area - to keep in touch with the news from Bedford. For many listeners we are their only source of local district news. 'Whatever the reason you are perusing the site, I hope that you are now more informed about our activities and will consider supporting us in the future.' Delia Delia Partridge, BDAN Chairman Getting Involved - Key Facts Listeners: Blind, partially sighted or physically disabled Cost to receive the tapes: No charge. Service is free Cost to join as a volunteer helper: No charge. Membership is free Cost to receive the newsletter: No charge. Free to volunteers and supporters Cost of a BDAN speaker / presentation (for an event): No charge. Collection for the charity welcomed Age range of listeners: Any age welcome Age range of volunteers: Usually over 18 years of age Experience required (for volunteers): None - anything relevant would be a bonus Jobs available: Various - including sorting tapes, collecting mail sacks, fundraising, reading articles and technical operation. All unpaid volunteer posts Time required: No minimum. Mostly several hours every six weeks or so Date of recording: Usually a Thursday evening for the weekly tape, between 6.30 and around 9.0pm Newspapers used: For the weekly tape - Times and Citizen, Bedfordshire on Sunday, and the Borough Council's Bedford News Left: Volunteers, listeners and friends of BDAN, pictured after a successful fundraising lunch at Biddenham, 2007 How to get in touch with B.D.A.N. Contact the Chairman, Delia Partridge ...telephone: 01234 216370 or e-mail: contact@bdan DOT org DOT uk (Please add 'BDAN' in the subject heading) Please mention this website when you make contact. For details of other Talking Newspaper groups and other local and national websites and services, please see the Links page

Back to Index page