The B.D.T.N. started life In 1976 as the Towncrier. News was read onto tape from the Barking Advertiser and the Dagenham Post which today are combined and known as the Barking and Dagenham Post.
Anna Marie Bishop was talking to a German school friend at a girl's reunion in London. The friend told her, how she had started a talking newspaper, where she lived in Bromley Kent. Her father had owned a newspaper in Gottengen in her native country Germany and so she was familiar with newsprint. He then persuaded Anna to start her own one in Dagenham.
Anna funded herself and bought a duplicator, some cassettes at a low
price and then mustered up volunteers from the local college, who made
up the first team:
Stan Bell, a blind lecturer at the college, gave her some advice
Norman Newall, a lecturer who became the first Chairperson
Brian Aldridge and Paul Kimberley, acted as recording technicians.
Anna bought a shop in Crow Lane, Dagenham to use as a language school and allowed one of the classrooms to be sound proofed by Brian and Paul. That is where Norman did the first introduction on the very first tape recording and that's how it all started.
Sadly our founder, Anna Marie Bishop died in 1984 aged 64. Leaving her husband Aubrey to continue her work as a reader on one of the teams. 21 years on and he is still recording for the B.D.T.N. today.
The format of today's tape is basically the same as the original one. The listeners have been asked on several occasions if they would like it any different, but it seems they are quite happy with the format.
The Barking and Dagenham edition of the monthly Council magazine the "Citizen" and our own miscellany of items called "The Beacon" are also recorded on tape every 6 weeks. The tape is recorded on a Wednesday and on Thursday a team of duplicators make all our copies. At present the Post Office provides a free postal service and pick up the sack of tapes every week.
150 listeners receive up to date, local news tapes every week.
The B.D.T.N. has a team of 38 volunteers.
If you are interested in volunteering your time please telephone:
Iris Jameson 020 8924 1340
Are you involved in a local voluntary group working with disabled
persons?
If so and you would like a free page to promote your group on our web
site please contact us.
