West Shropshire Talking Newspaper

03/04/2025

03/04/2025

Ian's our Editor and Presenter this week, as he guides us through 32 news stories drawn from the pages of the Shropshire Star, together with updates from Swan of Sight Loss Shropshire; Julie and Susann from Community Resource Shls Rcc; Dave on the trials and tribulations of Shrewsbury Town as well as other local sports news; and our Whitchurch team on recent events and developments in the north of the county.

Carol Wood and Ben Waddams both feature butterflies on Track 4 this week - and tell us about the gentle brimstone in particular, whilst Tracks 9 and 10 share the success of BAFTA-nominated Visible Mending - a short animated documentary by Wem-based MediaActive about the ways we repair ourselves through knitting, even when we can't be fully mended.

So do join us for a stimulating and enjoyable couple of hours at www.wstn.org.uk, on Alexa or another smart speaker, on the Speech Talking Newspaper app for smartphones and tablets, as a podcast or by dialling 01743 387 287 and following the instructions given there. We're sure you'll find something to capture (and, perhaps, captivate) your interest. 🙂

Ben Waddams Wildlife and Art Shropshire Council Whitchurch Town Council Visit Whitchurch Shropshire INTune Radio CIC High Sheriff of Shropshire Shropshire Community Foundation Shropshire Deputy Lieutenants

20/03/2025

Did you know that Sunday, March 23rd is World Meteorological Day - and has been since 1950? Lindsay from TNF Soundings tells us all about it on Track 2 of this week's WSTN. Margaret and Alan are back with us for their monthly Gardening chat on Track 4 - and they're a bit unsure about what the weather is up to at the moment! Sian (from The Strettons Podcast) talks to Will Hough of Harton Farm about the joys and challenges of mixed farming on Track 7, and Katy Rink from myShrewsbury talks to Diane Monether about the Feed the Birds project on Track 9.

Ian's in the Presenter's chair this week, bringing us 32 local news stories from the pages of the Shropshire Star and other local papers, so there's a lot to listen to - and even more if you're one of our memory-stick listeners, as you'll be getting all of this month's stories and interviews from thestrettonspod.com on your blue memory stick this week.

We hope you enjoy listening - do let us know what you think on our ansafone 01743 364 726, on this page or by e-mail at [email protected]. You can listen to the WSTN on our web-site www.wstn.org.uk, on Alexa and other smart speakers, on the Speech Talking Newspaper app or as our own podcast.

Shropshire Star My Shrewsbury magazine Shropshire Wildlife Trust Shls Rcc VCSA Shropshire Sight Loss Shropshire Shropshire Community Foundation High Sheriff of Shropshire Read Easy Shropshire Hills South East Shropshire - Social Prescribing Shropshire Deputy Lieutenants

13/02/2025

Ian leads us through this week's WSTN, with news stories from the Shropshire Star on Tracks 1, 3, 6 and 8; you'll find the February Newsletter from Sight Loss Shropshire, brought to us by Swan - and some useful tips on staying safe on-line from Vicki - on Track 2; two nature pieces on Track 4 - about magnificent yew trees by Carol Wood, followed by Ben Waddams Wildlife and Art's On the Wildside column for the Shrewsbury Chronicle on stock doves; Dave's sports report of Track 5; an enthusiastic review of four village halls by Samantha of The Strettons Podcast (thestrettonspod.com) on Track 7; and Toby Neal's nostalgic story of the role of RAF Cosford's role as the clearing centre for RAF Prisoners of War returning home in 1945 on Track 9.

Lots to enjoy, so why not drop in and listen to this week's issue at www.wstn.org.uk, on the Speech Talking Newspaper app or on Alexa or other smart speaker systems? You can also listen on your telephone by dialling 01743 387 287 and following the instructions which Ian gives there. 🙂

Shropshire Community Network Shropshire Community Foundation Shropshire Council Community Resource INTune Radio CIC High Sheriff of Shropshire Shropshire Deputy Lieutenants Blind Veterans UK RAF Association

11/02/2025

Harriet's our host this week, as she and her team bring us 32 topical news stories from the pages of the Shropshire Star, together with our regular features on nature (a double from Ben Waddams Wildlife and Art), sport and the local news from Whitchurch, an item on Vivien Jones, founder of the Nystagmus Network together with a dog show "brainteaser" from Lindsay of TNF Soundings and an article from My Shrewsbury magazine on this month's DarwIN Festival in Shrewsbury.

Lots to listen to and enjoy in this 90-minute edition of your local Talking Newspaper 🙂

02/02/2025

Ian's in the Presenter's chair for this week's WSTN as he, Carol and Sandra read 32 stories of human and civic interest from the pages of the Shropshire Star, interwoven with five features: the RNIB children’s writing competition on Track 2; a double feature on Track 4 with Ben Waddams' On the Wildside column for the Shrewsbury Chronicle on treecreepers and Dr Paul Evans' Country Diary entry for the Guardian on winter coming and going on Oswestry's Old Racecourse Common; Sport with Dave Gregory on Track 5; Margaret Bowman's Shrewsbury Report on Track 7, where she talks to the tallest Town Crier in the land - Martin Wood, our very own Town Crier in Shrewsbury; and another remarkable local person, soprano and Artistic Director of UK Proms in the Park Holly Teague, interviewed by Katy Rink of My Shrewsbury on Track 9.

A lot to enjoy - and we hope you do! 😊

RNIB Shropshire Star Ben Waddams Wildlife and Art Martin Wood UK Proms in the Park Holly Teague The Guardian My Shrewsbury magazine VCSA Shropshire Visit Oswestry Shropshire Community Network Shropshire Community Foundation Shls Rcc Sight Loss Shropshire High Sheriff of Shropshire Shropshire Wildlife Trust

24/01/2025

Diane leads us through this week's WSTN with 32 news stories from the Shropshire Star; our regular Gardening and Sports features with Alan (pictured) and Margaret, and Dave respectively; Ben Waddams reading his On the Wildside feature on muntjacs, from the Shrewsbury Chronicle; Marcus telling us about StreetVet in Church Stretton from the Stretton Focus; and Tom celebrating New Year's Eve in Wem and talking to Town Clerk, Penny O’Hagan, about issues facing the town.

Everyone can listen to this WSTN in a variety of different ways: on our website (www.wstn.org.uk); on Alexa and other smart speakers; as a podcast; on the Speech Talking Newspaper app; or by calling 01743 387 287 from any phone. Our Registered Subscribers will also be getting a second memory stick this week with two more episodes of The Strettons Podcast (also available on all web podcast apps as thestrettonspod.com).

We hope you enjoy this week's issue of the WSTN - do please let us know what you liked best! 🙂

Ben Waddams Wildlife and Art Shropshire Community Network Shropshire Community Foundation Shls Rcc Sight Loss Shropshire VCSA Shropshire Shropshire Council INTune Radio CIC Shropshire Live BBC Shropshire High Sheriff of Shropshire

18/01/2025

Track 7 of this week's WSTN tells us about the local ploughing group, born out of a bet, which has gone from strength to strength over the best part of a century. We also have advice on Track 2 about applying for a discounted TV Licence if you're blind; a double feature from Ben Waddams on Track 4 about wrens and how our wildlife is adapting to changes in the climate; Sport on Track 5 with Dave Gregory; and finally an interview which Katy Rink recently had with the Custodian of St Julian's Church, Andrew Wright, once known as Shrewsbury’s own Quasimodo.

Gwen introduces this week's issue and guides us through 32 local news stories, as well as these special features. Do listen at www.wstn.org.uk - you're sure to find something new and of interest to you! 🙂

Shropshire Star My Shrewsbury magazine Ben Waddams Wildlife and Art Shropshire Community Network Shropshire Council Shrewsbury Town Council Shropshire Community Foundation Shropshire Live INTune Radio CIC Community Resource Sight Loss Shropshire High Sheriff of Shropshire Shropshire Deputy Lieutenants

14/01/2025

We could receive £1,000 in the Movement for Good draw.

14/01/2025

We're grateful to everyone who has liked or followed us on Facebook over the past five years.

We're funded entirely by gifts and grants and all of our work is done by unpaid volunteers. Our running costs are around £10,000 each year, so every gift helps us to maintain our free service to blind and visually impaired people in West Shropshire and the local community more generally.

Would you be kind enough to nominate us for £1,000 from the Movement for Good? It just takes a minute of your time and will help us throughout the year.

Thank you. 🙂

We could receive £1,000 in the Movement for Good draw.

10/01/2025

Our first issue of the WSTN for 2025 is hosted by Harriet, who leads the Studio team in presenting 32 news stories from the Shropshire Star, whilst her husband Paul gives us the answers to our Christmas and New Year Quiz. Swan and Mel share Sight Loss Shropshire's January Newsletter with us, whilst Gwyneth, Judy and Jennifer present their round-up of New Year news from Whitchurch.

Our Nature feature has two wintry pieces which Ben Waddams Wildlife and Art has included in his On the Wildside series for the Shrewsbury Chronicle, alongside Carol Wood's promise of spring flowers. Dave Gregory shares the answers to his Christmas Sports Quiz, whilst bringing us up to date with soccer and bowls in the County and beyond, and we listen to Clare Ashford of BBC Shropshire talking to Sian and Pete about their new podcast featuring Church Stretton and surrounding villages, thestrettonspod.com.

Sian and Pete have asked us to distribute The Strettons Podcast to our memory stick listeners and we're delighted to share the first two episodes of the Podcast with our Registered Subscribers - so you'll find two memory sticks in your yellow pouch this week.

Lots to enjoy, so why not drop in and listen to this week's issue at www.wstn.org.uk, on the Speech Talking Newspaper app or on Alexa or other smart speaker systems? You can also listen on your telephone by dialling 01743 387 287 and following the instructions which Ian gives there. 😊

VCSA Shropshire Shropshire Community Network Shropshire Community Foundation Whitchurch Herald Community Resource Church Stretton Community INTune Radio CIC High Sheriff of Shropshire Shropshire Deputy Lieutenants

25/12/2024

First an apology to all our followers. For reasons best known to them (but not to us), Facebook suspended us a few days ago. We appealed and received the following statement but no explanation: "We've reviewed your account and found that it does follow our Community Standards on account integrity. We're sorry you couldn’t use Facebook while your account was suspended".

Harriet presents our eleven track WSTN this week, which was despatched to our registered Subscribers on Thursday as usual. Here are some members of our Despatch team enjoying the Christmas spirit in the Studio once all memory sticks were put into their pouches and then into "Santa's" sack for delivery before Christmas Day.

As well as 35 news stories, we have two choirs (The Orchard Singers on Track 2 and Of One Accord on Track 11); two quizzes on Track 5; two seasonal poems from the Mynd on Track 7; Margaret Thrower and Alan Copplestone talking about gardening on Track 4; Ben Waddams' On the Wildside with green woodpeckers and grey squirrels on Track 9; and Ric Morris reading Final Bell's final column from My Shrewsbury Magazine.

We'll be back with you again on January 9th but, in the meantime, we hope you enjoy the best of the season here in Shropshire or wherever you're spending Christmas and New Year 🎄🎁🙂

Ben Waddams Wildlife and Art Shropshire Star My Shrewsbury magazine My Shrewsbury magazine Of One Accord Acapella Age UK Sight Loss Shropshire VCSA Shropshire Shropshire Community Network Community Resource INTune Radio CIC