Volunteer with us

We need volunteers to help produce the GTN, an important service for visually impaired people in Gloucester.

Full training will be provided for all of our roles, plus there is great flexibility in each role. The time each role takes can be as little as a couple of hours every few weeks.

There are six different ways that you can help, find out more below.

Editors

The Editor's role is to produce a weekly, entertaining news based recording of between 60 and 90 minutes for visually impaired listeners. The news is based on the weekly Gloucester Citizen with each editor adding articles of their choice. The content is heavily influenced by feedback from our listeners who tell us what they would like to hear. Ideas have included book reviews, interviews with local celebrities, recipes and quiz type questions. We also include a "what's on" diary and news of activities and groups of particular interest to our visually impaired listeners.

Our aim is to be a friendly voice in the room of the listener, providing not just news but something to make them smile. The editor and a volunteer reader record the edition on a rota basis. We are a small group who support each other and in turn have the support of the chair and committee.

Readers

To work with the editor to read the newspaper cuttings aloud for the recording on a Monday evening. This duty will come up once or twice in 8 weeks and takes place in our studio.

Operators

To make the recording on a computer in our studio and prepare masters. This will be every 3 or 4 weeks on a Monday evening.

Copiers

To use the masters produced by the operator to make the necessary number of copies, using special automatic equipment in our studio. Pack these in the postal wallets and mark them sent out in a register. Deliver the sack of wallets to a post office before last post on Tuesday.

Administrators

To collect returned wallets from the delivery office in Quedgeley on Saturday morning. Unpack the USB sticks and enter them on a register. This can be done in our studio or at home. Ensure that the USB sticks and wallets are in the studio by Monday evening. Every 3 or 4 weeks.

Technicians

To look after the recording and copying equipment.