Dundalk Lions 'Talking Newspapers' assists people with visual impairments

Today, Thursday 12 October, is World Sight Day 2022, a day aimed at drawing attention to a range of issues surrounding blindness and visual impairment. It is seen as one of the most important communication and advocacy events on the eye health calendar.

To mark the day, Dundalk Lions Club is reminding local readers of their ‘Talking Newspapers’ service, a service which continues to assist persons with a visual impairment. Each week, Dundalk Lions read and record articles from the Dundalk Democrat, The Argus, and Dundalk Leader onto CDs. The CDs are then distributed in custom-made wallets to listeners in various parts of County Louth. 

Listeners can reverse the address labels in the wallets for return. An Post does not charge for delivery or return of the wallets so there is no cost to the listeners. Dundalk Lions provides the CDs free of charge. CDs are usually posted on Wednesday, ensuring that the ‘Talking Newspapers’ is received by Thursday.  

If you wish to receive a CD, please send a name, address and phone number to the Dundalk Lions Club c/o Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dublin Road, Dundalk. Alternatively, contact NCBI, Jocelyn St. Dundalk, phone: 042 941 9720. Dundalk Lions say they wish to thank local papers.

Initially started by the Lions Club International Foundation as part of the Sight First campaign in the year 2000, World Sight Day is now coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) under the VISION 2020 global initiative which aims to promote a world in which nobody is needlessly visually impaired.

The main aims of World Sight Day include:

• To Raise public awareness of issues surrounding blindness and visual impairment.
• To influence Governments, and in particular Health Ministers to participate in and donate funds to blindness prevention programmes.
• To educate about blindness prevention.
• To generate support for Vision programme and activities.

Across the world, events include seminars, donation drives rallies and online events. There is also an annual World Sight Day photography competition which is open to photographers both amateur and professional, anywhere in the world.