Talking Newspaper day

Every few weeks I do my one bit of charity work, editing the weekly Liverpool Talking Newspaper for the blind. This involves taking cuttings of interesting articles from local newspapers for one week, and then recording them with a team of readers onto cassette tapes (yes, you can still get them - just ) via ancient and largely donated equipment in a tiny studio in a youth training centre. When I started this a few years ago I was terrified of reading out loud, let alone having committed to tape my unspectacular voice with its hybrid accent, neither Yorkshire nor Scouse. After 30 years I still have difficulty being understood here. For example in a cake shop:

Me: "Four scones please" (pronounced scohns)
Shopgirl: "Yer wha?"
Me: "Four of those" (points)
SG: "Yer min scons!" (rolls eyes and nudges friend)

Anyway, I digress. Usually I try to find articles a bit on the wacky side, there being usually no shortage of such material in the 'Pool, or dramatic tales of bravery (also quite common) or heartwarming tales of money raised and support given. I reckon the blind folks can get all the really bad news from the TV or radio, so try to mix it up a bit. This week is different. Every paper all week has had very little but articles based on the Hillsborough disaster (see yesterday's blip), and while I agree this important occasion should never be forgotten, I just wish this wasn't my week to do the LTN.