PAPUR Sain Ceredigion Talking Newspaper is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Its first edition of 2020 on January 8 reflects on and celebrates its first appearance in January 1970, 50 years ago as the Cardiganshire Talking Newspaper. It was the first such newspaper in the whole of the United Kingdom.

With 18 people receiving it initially; today it has 112 listeners who have various degrees of visual impairment.

Ceredigion MP Ben Lake tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament to celebrate the 50th anniversary and to recognise the impact of the Talking Newspaper on so many lives across Ceredigion and west Wales.

Mr Lake said: “As a county we should be proud of Papur Sain Ceredigion, and the team behind this pioneering endeavour are to be congratulated on reaching such a prestigious milestone.

“This achievement is a testament to the commitment, dedication, and selflessness of the volunteer readers, technical experts and fundraisers who have kept this important service going for half a century. I wish them the very best for the next.”

In his early day motition, Mr Lake “commends the specific contributions of Ronald Sturt who was the lecturer at the College of Librarianship Wales in Llanbadarn Fawr and the architect of the first talking Newspaper. He sadly passed away on 6 January 2003 aged 81, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy that was marked by his creation and first presidency of the Talking Newspaper Association UK, now known as the Talking Newspaper Federation; and notes that Mr Sturt is most of all remembered for inspiring a whole new generation to carry on this significant work that started with him 50 years ago.”