AROUND 40 supporters, volunteers and listeners from Winchester's Talking Newspaper gathered to hear about the charity's activity over the past year at its AGM. 

The meeting took place at Littleton Memorial Hall and was led by chairman John Richards. 

He spoke to the audience about the work the charity has been doing to help its 70 regular listeners to access local news. 

He said their work, recording news on to memory sticks and delivering them to blind or partially-sighted people, was only possible thanks to the hard work of its 55 volunteers. 

Hampshire Chronicle: Winchester Talking Newspaper's AGM at Littleton Memorial Hall, Chris Dixon, from Open Sight

He thanked Big Mallet, a digital agency in Winchester, for its help putting their recordings on to their website, and to radio stations Awaaz FM and Fiesta FM for also broadcasting the recordings each week. 

He also thanked the Hampshire Chronicle for allowing the charity to use its Upper Brook Street office as its recording studio. 

Mr Richards said: "To everyone, a big thank you." 

The charity said they feared for the future with changes to Royal Mail, which could have a knock on effect on deliveries, and the difficulties facing the charity in terms of finding volunteers and also financially if they had to start paying rent. 

READ MORE: Winchester Talking Newspaper joins forces with Awaaz FM

Charity treasurer Peter Liddiard said the charity was in a stable place financially, and thanked South Wonston Community Café for raising £450 and the Clarendon Marathon for allowing them to raise £300 which helped keep expenditure to a minimum. 

The meeting saw Mr Richards re-elected as chairman and Mr Liddiard as treasurer, with Celia Ferguson, Keith Vincent, Noel Thorp Tracey and Eileen Dowding elected in as the board, with Mary Davis and Jane Harding also co-opted in. 

Chris Dixon from charity Open Sight Hampshire was this year's guest speaker and he spoke about the challenges facing the visually impaired community in the county, which the charity reckons totals about 55,000 people. 

A collection between members also raised money for the Open Sight Hampshire. 

For more information on the charity go to winchestertalkingnews.com/

The charity is always keen to hear from people who would like to volunteer to help distribute the memory sticks, raise funds or take part in recordings.