Recent EaRTN News

Some recent events involving the Elmbridge and Runnymede Talking Newspaper include:

New Secretary Appointed

Elmbridge and Runnymede Talking Newspaper is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Jackie Scobling as Secretary, following the retirement of Mr. Michael Holmberg at the end of 2009.

Chairman Chris Gilroy paid tribute to Mr. Holmberg:  “We shall miss Mike, who has served as Secretary to the Talking Newspaper for the past four years.   He has made a major contribution, not only as a very efficient member of the Executive Committee, but also as an active participant in the raising of the £13,000 needed for the replacement of the obsolescent copying machines in 2009.   This was a highly successful appeal and Mike worked extremely hard, particularly in dealing with the information required by Surrey County Council and Elmbridge and Runnymede Councils.   I am delighted that he will still be involved as a volunteer in the production of both the Talking Newspaper and our Monthly Magazine.”

He added “Mrs. Scobling has considerable secretarial and administrative experience and I look forward to working with her in the future.   She is already a volunteer with the Talking Newspaper and has proved to be a valuable member of the team”.

EARTN Receives Unusual Donation

Recently the Elmbridge and Runnymede Talking Newspaper received a donation from one of their listeners, Mrs. Barbara Terry of Walton.

Mrs. Terry, who was diagnosed with macular degeneration at the age of 55, was a founding member of the Walton Macular Degeneration Group.   10 years ago, following a talk to the Group by Mr. Bert Jones of the Elmbridge and Runnymede Talking Newspaper (EARTN), she
became a listener.

Mrs. Terry said: “I really look forward to receiving the tapes of the Talking Newspaper every Saturday.   I listen to my tape on Sunday morning and am particularly interested in the local news and details of the forthcoming local events   It helps me to feel a part of the community and I find I am telling my husband the local news!  We often go to interesting events in the community as a result of hearing about them on thanks to the Talking Newspaper.”

Mrs. Terry decided to ask friends to give her their small change, which she put in a large sweet jar.   Gradually, people with whom she worked for local charities became aware of her scheme.   Our photograph shows her with her original sweet jar and the pottery clown which also contains coins.    “I would come home and find a plastic bag of small change on the doorstep” she said.

As a result, she has been able to raise funds for her favourite charities and send donations not only to the Talking Newspaper but also Calibre (Talking Books).    “I am grateful to both the Talking Newspaper and Talking Books” she said “both give me an invaluable service, making my life so much richer.”

When Mrs. Terry met her husband, Brian, she had a pilot’s licence and knew many of the international heroes of aviation in the early days of flying.     Her husband laughingly told us that, although she had a pilot’s licence, she had never learnt to drive a car and he had many scary moments teaching her to come down to earth!