ROCKVALE REBOUND TALKING NEWSPAPER

 

                         ANNUAL REPORT 2009/2010

 

 

      Almost as smoothly as a sleek ocean liner, the Rockvale Rebound glided into the 2009/10 session with scarcely a ripple. There was, however, one tiny hiccup in that we were unable to acquire the Riverside Church Hall for our annual General Meeting which was held on April 23rd. This was due to there being a Spring Fair being held on the same date. We were, though, most grateful to the committee of Townend Bowling Club who were willing to let us have the use of its function suite, a venue which we were familiar with, having used on several occasions for our Christmas lunch. The A.G.M. went very well with twenty five people in attendance all of whom showed a keen interest in how the organisation had been faring over the previous year. Margaret Fitzsimons read out the Annual Report most eloquently and Sarah Worthey gave a detailed account of our financial situation. A motion was put forward for the committee to be elected en bloc, and, after the co-option of Jenny Troup had been confirmed, this was passed and accepted by the assembled gathering. Following the meeting a most enjoyable buffet lunch was served by Margaret Coleman and her team with everybody commenting most favourably on it.

 

      Shortly into the session we received notification from the Council for Volunteer Services that Elaine Foulkes had expressed an interest in helping out within the Rockvale Rebound. Elaine had, several years previously, organised an extremely successful sponsored abseil from the top of the Council buildings at Garshake, and, after a most pleasant discussion she agreed to come on board the committee and, like her colleagues before her, has proved to be a great asset to the team.

 

      In the middle of the year, however, we found ourselves having to say farewell to Andrew King who had taken up a teaching post in Kilmarnock. Andrew had been with us for five years and had always worked diligently in his tasks, and we were more than happy to recommend him for recognition through the C.V.S. Margaret Cameron and Margaret Livingston both decided that it was time for them to give up their work on the Rockvale, both ladies having served us for around twenty seven years. Although reluctant to bid them goodbye, we heartily thanked them both for their outstanding service. This meant, though, that we were short of a reading team, but not for long and there was no interruption to the service, since Elaine Foulkes and Brian Corrigan both agreed to fill the gaps and, along with Claire Muir they have proved themselves more than worthy. Later on in the year, we were again approached by the C.V.S. who referred another lady who wished to help us. She is Karen Renaud, who originally hails from South Africa, but who is now resident in Cardross. She was offered a post on the team along with Brian, Claire and Elaine, and took to the reading scene like a duck to water, and has agreed to be a permanent member, making the team up to full strength. Meanwhile, in another team a similar situation had developed with the departure of David Wilson and Eddie Race both of whom had commitments which were preventing them from carrying on within the Rockvale Rebound, however, Kay McGrory, the team presenter managed, astutely to get two friends, Mrs Walker and Mrs Pollock to join the   team, and very efficient readers the two ladies have proved themselves to be.   This means that as an organisation, we are in the happy position, for the moment, of not being in need of any further volunteers, and we are delighted that we still retain some of our members from the very early days, something not all too common in these times of seeming disinterest.

 

On The Technical Front

 

      Over the past few years there has been a huge amount of discussion in various quarters as to the best format to produce talking newspapers. In 2009 there was a special ‘Techy Day’ organised for that purpose in itself. Several such organisations have already gone over to producing their T N’s in CD form. Others are in the midst of preparing to use devices known as Memory Sticks. We in the Rockvale Rebound have also had some discussion on the subject, but as yet, we do not feel the time is upon us that would shoe horn us into taking any rash decisions. A further ‘Techy Day’ was held in March 2010 and we await a full report from our two delegates to that event. We are fully conscious of the fact that not one of our members has, so far, requested that their copies of Rockvale Rebound be produced in any other format than audio tape, and we are quite willing to go along with that. There was what can only be described as scare mongering going around suggesting that the days of tapes and tape players were over. However, we have recently been informed that Sony, the Japanese giant producer of sound equipment, have recently re-introduced a completely new tape recorder/player, and this beggars the question, ‘Would they do such a thing if it is to be only on the short term’. We did hear of one Talking Newspaper group that issued a directive that after the end of 2009 all their material would be on CD only. We have no intention of being so draconian and even when we do take the decision to change format, we would try to honour the requirements of our members, which might mean producing both memory sticks and tapes as well, although we have discovered that memory sticks are, in fact, easier to use even than tapes and are every bit as versatile. There is very little difference in the recording side of things, with only the addition of a computer to the full system instead of a recording deck. So we really do not envisage any change in the coming year. All our current equipment has been serving us very well indeed and any slight problems have in the most part been checked out and found to be caused by faulty tapes, which then found their way to the bin!!

 

On The Social Front

 

 Our Summer Outing last year took a couple of turns from the original plan. At least one of them did. We had actually set out heading for Lochgilphead, a destination we had never been to before, and we had booked lunch at the Waterside Restaurant, just outside Inveraray where the Argyle Caravan Park is sited. This we did and everybody enjoyed a lunch which can only be described as superlative. It had come highly recommended and we were certainly not let down. The weather, though, was proving to a bit more inclement than we would have liked so the decision was then taken to head back to Inveraray, where we knew there were plenty of places of interest to visit where it was possible to remain indoors. All in all everyone had a most enjoyable trip and it can be taken as read that a few pounds changed hands in the shops and other establishments.

 

      Our Christmas Lunch went off very well indeed, being held once again in the Townend Bowling Club function suite. In spite of encountering serious problems with one of the ovens in the kitchen, Margaret Coleman and her team did a remarkable job in achieving what they did in providing a wonderful Christmas lunch with all the expected fare. Everyone in the committee was involved not only in the planning of it all, but also in the execution of the several roles which need to be taken on. The entertainment was much enjoyed as well, with songs from Amy McGrandles, penny whistle solos from Maureen McLellan, and grand they were too. There was also a couple of poems from our chairman as well as some Scottish tunes played on his harmonica and of course some very amusing stories, courtesy of David Dyer. A cold, bitter day it might have been outside but there was plenty of warmth inside!

 

On The Fund Raising Front

 

      Over the past several years we have tended to concentrate on having only one fund raising event, and that is our annual ‘Bobalong Cashaday’ sponsored Walk. This past year was no exception, but we are delighted to report that it was the most successful sponsored walk for many a year. The complement of walkers amounted to eighteen, with a few secondary school pupils from both Dumbarton Academy and the Vale of Leven Academy. In fact, one of the Dumbarton Academy pupils actually managed to coax her mum to come along as well. We also had several employees from West Dunbartonshire Council joining us for the first time. The weather was very kind again, although when the sun was behind a cloud there was quite a chilly wind blowing. It didn’t dampen the spirits of the walkers, though, and everybody put in an exceptionally good time, albeit that it is not a race. Once again we are very grateful to Susan Corrigan for creating and supplying achievement certificates for all the participants who completed the course which was from the Meadow Centre in Dumbarton ending at the Lusset Restaurant in Old Kilpatrick, a route which we have used for many years, and which has proved to be most popular. In financial terms we raised the amazing sum of £1,120, which ranks as the highest amount we have ever raised and we are greatly indebted to everyone who took part and sought the appropriate pledges.

 

      Also as in other years we made an application to West Dunbartonshire Council for funding assistance, but as yet we have had no reply. The Council, last year handed over the responsibility for small grant funding to the Community Volunteer Service, although quite why we do not fully understand, since the Council already has a very efficient finance department, so we will just have to be patient and await results.

 

      And so the year rolled on and reached the end of the 2009/10 session. During the latter part of the session we have produced several booklets on tape on behalf of the Council, including the Economic and Social Report, as well as a Disability Profile, an Equality Survey and a Public Performance Report, as well as a Directory of Services available to people with a disability. We are very much indebted to Margaret Fitzsimons and Sarah Worthey who have undertaken the task of reading these documents, some of which are quite sizeable. Tape copies are sent to the Council, and copies are also offered to our own members, although it has to be said that the uptake is rather disappointing. We also provide information for the Community Participation Committee and, on behalf of W.D.C to the ‘Focus’ campaigning group. Our reading teams have remained as faithful and punctual as ever, as have our other ‘workers’, such as our recording operators, Preparation teams and our copying and despatch teams. So, to everybody who is associated with the Rockvale Rebound in whatever role or roles they perform I, as Chairman would like to extend my personal deeply felt gratitude to each and everyone of you, and may God bless you all.

 

 

   R. Y. Simpson M.B.E.

 

  Chairman

  Rockvale Rebound Talking Newspaper

 

 

For more pictures see calendar page.