Back in October 2025, Carmarthenshire CAMRA held another of its successful community Beer Festivals – a chance for everyone to discover and savour some brilliant brews from across Wales and beyond. However – we paused for thought… perhaps not everyone can easily travel to or enjoy the things that we take for granted.

That’s why our Committee decided to back an important local charitable endeavours: the Carmarthen and District Talking Newspaper – the volunteer-run communications network for hundreds of blind and partially-sighted people, founded some 45 years ago by Rhian Evans. We are pleased to report that attendees at our Festival recently donated £200 to Rhian’s great volunteer-run enterprise.

Rhian, incidentally, has had a bilingual book published, entitled Speaking Volumes – describing the development of her cause to bring information and daily news alive to people suffering from the trauma and anxiety of sight-loss. 

Rhian, now 76, said: “I was recording stories of people in Carmarthen, old railwaymen and so on, all going on tape for Carmarthen public library and that’s when I thought we should be recording the local newspaper for blind and partially-sighted people.” 

And now the fruits of her labours (and those of others, attracted to this fine cause) are bearing fruit. It can be truly said that Carmarthenshire has its very own broadcasting service for those facing sight loss.