CELEBRATING its 29th birthday in January, Grapevine - the Great Yarmouth area's Talking Newspaper for the Blind and Partially Sighted, is going digital, after nearly three decades of using the compact cassette.

CELEBRATING its 29th birthday in January, Grapevine - the Great Yarmouth area's Talking Newspaper for the Blind and Partially Sighted, is going digital, after nearly three decades of using the compact cassette.

The weekly service records local news from The Mercury and sends the news cassettes to around 250 people throughout the area, while those with computers can listen “on-line”.

Recently, the organisation has found maintaining the old cassette equipment difficult and expensive and so has taken the decision to change to USB computer memory sticks, which are solid state devices about the size of a pack of chewing gum. These can be played either on a normal computer, or on a self-contained player about the size of a small transistor radio, which will be freely supplied if required.

The initial cost is high, but financial support has come with grants from the Norfolk Community Foundation and Waveney Health Trust covering the cost of the recording equipment, while independent organisations such as Gorleston Rotary, Northgate Players, Albert Lodge, Christchurch coffee morning and Filby jumble sales among others, have provided money for the special players.

The Mayor of Great Yarmouth, traditionally President of Grapevine, visited the recording studio recently to record a Christmas message for the listeners and the picture shows the Cllr and Mrs Tony Smith being shown the new digital equipment prior to it being put into service early next year.