I came across Cue & Review during my visit to a volunteer day at EDVA to support the CRED charity my wife is a trustee for. I stopped to speak with Iain about how the organisation was doing. Hearing they were looking for more volunteers, I thought I could offer my voice to record the Church news from the Kirky Herald. I have retired as a missionary with OM UK, and spent years visiting Scottish churches and working overseas as well. So I now have a lot of free time. Between my acting and singing with a gospel choir I felt God had opened a door to the local community. I enjoy recording the news which allows others to hear what's new and what is happening from the local churches in the area.

I started as a volunteer reader for Cue and Review in Autumn 2024. I currently read and edit the Voices section of The Herald on Monday and the News, Politics and Culture sections of The National on Friday. I have also occasionally recorded information articles e.g. about East Dunbartonshire Council public consultations or other services for the blind community.
As someone who consumes a lot of the written word in a variety of genres, both fiction and non-fiction, I think it is essential to support access to reading for those who are challenged to do so, either through sight loss or other barriers such as dyslexia, aphasia and dementia. We take our ability to access written information for granted until it becomes a problem. I hope that in reading and recording articles I am helping people to feel connected and part of their community and to keep abreast of current affairs. Recording also helps me to keep up to date and, since I read from two different newspapers, I get different perspectives. It also requires me to learn how to pronounce different names and attempt different accents, which I definitely need to work on, and I hope readers forgive my mistakes!

I’ve only been volunteering for about a year and a half. I got involved because I used to travel through to Bishopbriggs to record, and that’s how I know Karen McPhee and Morag Mackay. I really enjoyed the camaraderie in the Cue and Review Studio. Then I went to live abroad for 15 years.

So, a while after I came back, I remembered how much I enjoyed recording, phoned Cue and Review, got talking to Iain, and now here I am. It’s so very worthwhile to support people with visual impairment and its fun to volunteer with Cue and Review, its easy to manage the time, and there’s great support from Iain.

I've been involved with recording for the visually impaired for many years, and have enjoyed providing a 'window on the world' to people with sight problems. I've been reading for Cue & Review for two and a half years, and enjoy my weekly commitment to read from the 'Glasgow Times' and 'The National'. It fits well into my day, I can do it from home and I can tailor my recordings to the time I have available. It gives me a chance to see behind the news headlines and I feel better informed as a result

How long volunteering: 15 months

My role: Every week I read, record and publish the latest articles from the Arts and Entertainment and the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) sections of Herald Scotland

About me:
I am retired from a career in business consultancy, and enjoy my retirement with activities like cycling, playing music (double bass and bass guitar), family history, greenhouse and climbing. A more recent focus has been helping people to use their DNA matches to identify unknown parents and grandparents.

Reading every week has been good for me in a number of ways:
• It’s one of those opportunities in life where a little bit of effort can make a big positive impact for others
• Usually a lazy reader, I find the time I spend reading the articles makes me better informed in my chosen subjects
• The focus on speaking clearly has helped me improve my diction in everyday life. I have realised that I tend to mumble, especially when I’m not confident in what I’m saying (which is often the case!). Paying attention to this has helped me improve.

I’ve been recording with Cue and Review for just over a year now. I record in the main studio, at the Cue and Review office, reading the News section in the Glasgow Times on Wednesdays. Reading new articles lets me keep up on current events but recently I feel like articles have been getting shorter as of late. The premise of the organisation resonated with me as I have a family member with limited visibility. The training, while simple was very effective in getting me to understand what I had to do. Corrie was very helpful.

I have been recording for Cue and Review for almost two years. When I started reading, I had full vision, but during the last six months, due to a detached retina, I now only have sight in my left eye. This has brought home to me the importance of what we do and how a small investment of my time can make a positive difference in individuals' lives.I enjoy reading, and even learning some of the more difficult footballers' and sportspeople’s names has been a laugh. The importance of this work cannot be understated in terms of reducing social isolation, providing informal learning, and creating a sense of community. If you are considering investing your time as a volunteer or your money as a funder, please do it. A small investment of time and resources goes a long way in this organisation, and you will have no issue measuring your return on investment.

I volunteer for Cue & Review reading the Evening Times, The National & the Glasgow Herald, takes me an hour on 3 days a week. It is interesting and really valuable for our listeners who are visually impaired. My mum had macular degeneration & I know how much she valued her weekly tapes which kept her connected to the world.

Record 5-7 articles from each week’s Kirkintilloch Herald as requested by producer.
Retired from teacher education; interested in golf, garden, grandchildren, natural history, tv sport, photography, travel and lifelong learning

I record news articles for Cue and Review’s talking newspaper service, focusing on Scottish papers like The National. Each week, I come into the studio to read and record stories that matter to our listeners, including local news, features, and community updates. My role isn’t just about reading aloud—it’s about making the content engaging and clear for people who rely on audio. I also help with special projects, such as themed editions or interviews, when needed. Over time, I’ve learned how important accuracy and tone are for accessibility, and I take pride in delivering recordings that feel professional and friendly.

I’ve always had a passion for words and communication, which is why volunteering here feels so rewarding. Outside of Cue and Review, I enjoy walking in the Scottish countryside, photography, and keeping up with current affairs. I’m also a big fan of radio and audio technology, so this role combines my interests perfectly. Something unique about me: I love learning new skills, and volunteering has given me the chance to improve my voice work and editing knowledge while helping others.

Highs and lows of volunteering.

I’ve been volunteering for almost two years now- so I’m relatively
new to the team. I got involved through a friend who knew about the charity and suggested that I might enjoy volunteering with them as a reader. I do!

Lows
I have to admit I’m a techno dinosaur and so was worried about the mechanics of recording from home and sending off the finished product. For the first few months I recorded in the studios at Bishopbriggs then when I felt confident enough I began to record at home. It is all incredibly simple. With only an iPad I can do everything required!

Highs
I do enjoy the ‘work’ of reading the newspaper. I’m very interested in current affairs so I would be reading the news anyway. I am also interested in the writing process so I can’t help but look at how the writers construct their articles and achieve their desired outcomes( nerdy I know!). Best of all it is good to know that reading and recording helps others keep up to date with the daily news. So actually it isn’t work at all rather it is a pleasure and I’m glad to contribute in this way.