Galloway's uses Alexa to bring Lancaster Guardian and Morecambe Visitor news to people with sight loss

A pioneering service will see sight loss charity Galloway’s using Amazon’s hi-tech gadget to help people in the community to stay in touch with the county’s news.

It is part of a new initiative which will also see Galloway’s Talking Newspapers added to the websites to make it easier for people to access.

Group editor Chris Daggett said: “As part of our role to provide trusted content to our community, we want to make sure as many people as possible are able to hear about the stories that matter to them.

"We also want to provide accessible news to people with sight loss or who may not normally read our papers or websites.

“Volunteers at Galloway’s have been reading our North West titles on to audio tapes for many years and now is the perfect time to strengthen that long-standing relationship and deliver our articles in an alternative format for our loyal audience.”

The registered charity which has bases in Morecambe and Penwortham has been helping people with sight loss for 150 years.

Now it’s bringing its Talking News service to sites run by the Lancashire Post, Lancaster Guardian, Morecambe Visitor, and Chorley and Leyland Guardian.

Galloway’s is launching Alexa ‘skill’, allowing people to use Alexa to find out about its services, as well as listen to a range of talking newspapers.

Head of Services at Galloway’s, Rachel Watkinson, said: “We are really excited about both these projects as they are not just for people with sight loss.

“With social isolation becoming a bigger issue for the wider community following the coronavirus, we know how valuable keeping in touch with the outside world is.

“So we are excited to be forging an even stronger relationship with our local newspapers to deliver audio news from Lancashire straight to you through our Alexa ‘skill’ or the newspaper websites so you don’t need to feel alone.

"You can listen to us and it will feel like we are in your living room with you.”