A SERVICE which helps blind and visually impaired people keep up to date with stories in the Dorset Echo is 'calling it a day' due to a lack of listeners and technological advances.

South West Dorset Talking Newspaper (SWDTN) was set up 36 years ago to help people with sight problems listen to the week's news via a USB stick.

A team of volunteers would read the Dorset Echo each week for listeners at a dedicated studio in Chickerell Road, complete with microphones and other recording kit.

The team says that due to the 'progress of the internet' and devices, the need for a weekly service provided by the talking newspaper has 'a finite appeal'.

SWDTN is a registered charity and member of the Talking News Federation (TNF) umbrella group. 

"With the declining demand for our service as a result, the decision has been reached, whereby we’ll no longer be accepting new listeners," SWDTN added.

"We’d like to thank everyone for their support over the years. It has been a pleasure to serve you."

The final recording will be sent out next week before the service is disbanded, chairman Ann Sawtell said.

She added that listener numbers per week have dropped from about 400 to just 50. 

"We have a 94-year-old who is really going to miss it and looks forward to it every week but there is a limit for how many people you can do it for," Ms Sawtell explained. 

"Due to advances in technology we have found that our listener numbers are falling, we are finding it impossible to get volunteers to serve on our committee. 

"Our team of over 60 volunteers has worked hard over the years to provide this service, and we would like to thank everyone who has helped us.

"SWDTN started as a small thing, working from somebody’s garage, and then we had a studio in Portland, under the old council offices.

"We then moved to the Moose Lodge in Chickerell Road, Weymouth, where we still have our present studio.

"Our volunteers have shown great enthusiasm over the years to help to provide this service, weekly magazine and newspaper delivered now on a memory stick - in years gone by it was cassettes on tape, then CDs, and we have tried to keep up with changing technology."

Any present or retired volunteers are invited to a talking newspaper lunch on Saturday, May 20. Anyone interested should get in touch with Ms Sawtell on 01305 782602.

The chairman has also urged listeners to access support offered by the Dorset Blind Association at dorsetblind.org.uk