Many visually impaired people can’t.

Some feel disconnected from their community as they struggle to keep up with local news.

However, Vision Australia has a solution, Talking Newspapers, a free service that helps visually impaired people stay in touch.

Narrators record certain stories from community newspapers including The Star Newcastle and Lake Macquarie onto a cassette tape. The tapes are then sent out to vision-impaired people.

Production co-ordinator Don Wright said the service is of great benefit to the community.

“The aim is to give them (the clients) the local news, to update them and let them know what’s going on in their areas,” Mr Wright said.

The service has about five volunteer narrators who read stories onto a tape.

The narrators record at home in their own time then bring the tapes back to Mr Wright, where he and a team of eight people edit the tapes and send them out.

“It’s good because Australia Post send the tapes to the clients for free.”

Not everything in the newspaper is read and recorded.

Narrator Claudette Ward says only certain stories are picked out to be recorded on tape.

“We pick out the newsy things, editorials, letters to the editor, entertainment, public notices and sport.”

She said that while the service is a great help to visually impaired people, she also gets a lot out of it.

“You always hope you’re doing something nice for them. It’s a nice feeling to know I’m helping someone not as lucky as I am.

Mr Wright says Talking Newspapers has only about 50 clients left that are using the service.

They are looking for more clients who would like to take part in the service.

To receive Talking Newspapers phone Vision Australia on 1300 847 466.