A charity which has been helping people with sight difficulties to get the news for over 45 years has signed off for the final time.
Each week the team of dedicated volunteers at the Boston and South Holland Talking Newspaper (BASHTN) recorded local news articles for distribution to blind and partially-sighted residents.
The charity cites ‘declining listener numbers and ever changing technology’ for the reason for the closure.
It was originally started by Joy and Roy Hensman at Sunnyholme Blind Home in 1979, the charity later moved to premises in George Street, Boston and in 2014 moved to the town’s Len Medlock Volunteer Centre.
Articles were originally recorded on to cassette tapes but moved to memory sticks and equipment to play it on supplied, free of charge, to listeners in 2014.
The memory sticks were distributed free each week, by Royal Mail in dedicated mailing wallets.
One volunteer, Nick Barlow, has been with the charity since the very start.
“He has been a valuable part of our admin team,” a spokesman for the charity said.
“He received and sorted the returned memory sticks each Wednesday morning and then returned on a Thursday morning to copy the master recording onto to memory sticks ready to go out in the mail to our listeners.
“The charity has been funded by numerous grants over the years from Boston Big Local, Len Medlock Charitable Trust and other local grant givers, which have been most welcome.
“Sadly grants are now harder to source in the current financial climate.
“With declining listener numbers and ever changing technology, the decision was taken to close in May 2026.
“We would like to thank our loyal listeners and our dedicated team of volunteers, without whom, none of this would have happened.”
BASHTN chairman Ken Syrett said: “As chairman of BASHTN and chief recorder since 2014, it is with a heavy heart, to inform you of our closure.
“We have provided this service for many years but times change and technology has finally overtaken us.
“I would like to repeat that we could not have provided this service, in the past, without a team of dedicated volunteers and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you personally – you have been brilliant.”
