News and What's on

New Broadcast Slot for Premier Radio

Posted: 17th June 2008 by James Brookman

Soon Torch's program 'Insight' on Premier Radio will be moving to a more popular day and time. From July it will be broadcast on Sunday afternoons at 4.00pm - have a listen on Freeview or the Internet if you live outside the London area.

Foursight for the Church

Posted: 20th April 2008 by Gordon Temple

At Spring Harvest in Skegness, Torch launched its Foursight for the Church initiative. It's a four step programme that is intended to raise awareness of people with sight loss in church and to help churches to fully include them. To find our more visit the new website: www.torch-foursight.org.

Visitors to our striking new exhibtion stand at Skegness were able to register for the Church Pack there and then. 116 people representing 104 churches did. How about you and your church?

New Churches for All Website

Posted: 1st April 2008 by Gordon Temple

Churches for All or CfA is a partnership of Christian disability organisations. Torch Trust is an active partner.

CfA has launched a new website. It's a unique resource for churches seeking to be more inclusive of disabled people, including blind and partially sighted people. Instead of starting with the disablity, this website starts with the type of activity to be undertaken by the church or leader and then raises the issues that arise for disabled people.

Visit the new website: www.churchesforall.org

Assistant Chief Executive appointed

Posted: 30th March 2008 by Gordon Temple

Andew Nicholson has joined Torch Trust as Assistant Chief Executive, working with Torch's Chief Executive Gordon Temple. Andrew brings strong financial and administrative leadership skills. Andrew previously worked with FIEC where he organised the Cheltenham Bible Festival in 2007.

Andrew is married to Meryl and they have two children. They live in Market Harborough and are involved in the life of Market Harborough Baptist Church.

New Chair for Torch

Posted: 30th March 2008 by Gordon Temple

Torch welcomes a new chair for its trustee board. Marilyn Baker took on this responsibility at the beginning of the year, following on from Rev. Ron Wells who has been chair for 10 years. Marilyn is supported in her role by the appointment of a vice chair, Dr Clive Dilloway.

Marilyn, who has been blind from birth, is well known as a singer and songwriter. She formed Marilyn Baker Ministries 25 years ago and now has a diverse ministry that includes running rest and renewal breaks that are a blessing to many, including quite a few blind people. Marilyn says, “It is a privilege to serve the Lord in this way. I was helped so much by Torch in earlier years”. Looking ahead Marilyn enthuses, “It’s an exciting period, with next year being Torch’s 50th. We plan to use this opportunity to raise awareness, not just of the work of Torch, but also of the needs of blind and partially sighted people who sometimes feel a bit left out at church.” Marilyn presents Torch’s weekly radio programme on Premier Radio at 9pm each Saturday.

Clive enjoyed a long and successful career with BP, from which he is now retired. For a number of years he served as a trustee and then chair of the Bible Society and now chairs the Chichester Diocesan Board of Finance. His wife, Kate, is one of Torch’s most prolific volunteer braille transcribers.

Reading Through Audio

Posted: 4th February 2008 by James Brookman

Reading Through Audio is an initiative set up by Torch and other groups who provide audio for people with print disabilities to raise awareness about what's available in audio and how modern technology is providing alternatives to the cassette tape.

The initiative is aimed primarily at Rehabilitation Workers but will be of interest to anyone who likes to access audio material.

For more information visit the Reading Through Audio website.

DAISY audio New Testament now available.

DAISY stands for Digital Accessible Information Sytem. It's audio with structure and navigation. Using special DAISY players, books on DAISY CD become truely accessible to blind and partially sighted people.

Torch first used DAISY for Every Day with Jesus - daily Bible readings from CWR. It was the world's first periodical in this format. Using the simple controls on the DAISY player the reader could skip from day to day and navigate the daily content of Bible reading, commentary, prayer and further reading.

Now Torch has completed an audio New Testament in the DAISY format, fully indexed to verse level. It has been a massive task but the results are exciting. First select book, then chapter, then paragraph and finally verse - in around the time it would take a sighted person to find the reference in a print Bible.

The DAISY New Testament is the result of a major collaborative effort. Hodder and Stoughton, publishers of Today's New International Version (TNIV), provided the actor-read digital recording, Torch staff and volunteers structured the audio to add navigation to verse level with all the necessary announcements, and the RNIB produced the disc and packaging.

The DAISY New Testament is available to bona fide blind and partially sighted people in the UK (and elsewhere subject to copyright) from both Torch and the RNIB for £3.99, around the cost of a standard print New Testament.

To order email Torch info@torchtrust.org or call 01858 438260.

Torch Library Catalogue Now Available From This Website!

You can now browse the Torch Library Catalogue straight from our website. You can search by Title, Author, Keyword, Category, ISBN or all areas and by the media you like to read in. You can also check out the most recent titles to be added to the Library. When you've found what you'd like to read, just email the library team with the details using the link and we'll send it as soon as possible, or add it to your "Bookshelf". To have a go right now click here