This year’s National Storytelling Week is taking place from the 26th January to the 5th February. National Storytelling Week was conceived in 2000 to increase public awareness of the art, practice and value of oral storytelling. It is held during the first week of February every year.

Leicester-based charity Vista has celebrated National Storytelling Week 2011 by creating a one-off CD of stories and poems to observe storytelling and its importance in painting a picture with words to people with a sight loss.

Vista is the main provider of services for almost 6,000 blind and partially sighted people in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Their services are some of the largest and most extensive in the country, but the organisation relies on donations to help support the work that they do.

A team of volunteers and Vista staff have recorded pieces of their own work and copyright free stories and poems in English and Gujarati. The CD has been distributed to over one thousand local people with a sight loss throughout National Storytelling week.

To listen to the CD please visit www.vistablind.org.uk/news-and-events/news-stories.

Rhondda Channel, Head of Vista’s Sound Services Department, said “It has been fantastic to produce a unique combination of stories and poems as a celebration of storytelling for our listeners. For some people with a sight loss they are totally reliant on someone else to read things aloud for them so Vista’s audio transcription service gives them a real sense of independence. The art of storytelling is ancient but still just as powerful.”

Vista’s Sound Services department offers people registered blind or partially sighted in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland a free talking newspaper service. Volunteers and staff record local publications such as the Leicester Mercury which is distributed fortnightly to approximately 3,000 listeners.

Peter Griffths, a volunteer who took part in the project, said, “Providing stories and news in an audio format is a real lifeline for people who are no longer able to read. Vista can help them feel part of the local community by giving them not only vital local news but the human interest stories we all enjoy.”

Accounting for Leicester’s diverse multicultural residents talking newspapers are also produced regularly in Punjabi, Gujarati and other languages on request.

Mrs Patel, who regularly receives Vista’s talking newspapers in Gujarati, said “I have Glaucoma and struggle to read nowadays, receiving the Leicester mercury on CD is fantastic for me! I know what’s going on in Leicester and have things I can talk to my grandchildren about. I have not yet received this special CD but look forward to it as I enjoy listening to stories.”

For more information on Vista’s celebration of National Storytelling week or Sound Services department please call 0116 2490909 or visit www.vistablind.org.uk.