St Albans & District Talking News has been bringing audio programmes to local visually impaired listeners since 1974.

That was when two St Albans residents (Ray and Meg Bousfield) decided to help those who could no longer read the local newspaper but wanted to keep in contact with their community.

So they launched what became one of the first Talking News charities anywhere in the UK.

They began with a tape recorder and microphone on a kitchen table in Beechwood Avenue in St Albans and with an audience of one.  That soon became two, then ten, then twenty ……

And the rest is history.

Over the past fifty and more years, we’ve moved from a kitchen table to a purpose-built sound-proof studio, from open-reel tape to digitised recording, from cassette tapes to memory sticks and online options.

But the aim is the same as it was right at the start: to help local residents of all ages to keep up-to-date with what’s happening in St Albans, Harpenden and all the villages and parishes within the District.

50th Anniversary                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 In August 2024, around 100 listeners and volunteers celebrated our 50th anniversary at The London Shenley Club.  We were joined by Deputy Lieutenant Akhtar Zaman and the High Sherriff of Hertfordshire, Annie Brewster; local MP Victoria Collins; and the Mayors of the City & District of St Albans and of Harpenden Town. Entertainment was provided by a group from Strictly a Capella (from Radlett), Driftwood (a trio of folk musicians from Kimpton), Mr Tumnus (St Albans composer & performer), and poets from St Albans U3A.