TALKING NEWS FEDERATION

Registered charity 1185913 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as TNF

The Talking News Federation exists to support and assist almost 325 local Talking Newspapers to deliver local news and information in audio to blind, partially sighted and print disabled people.

Objects

THE OBJECTS (THE “OBJECTS”) OF THE CIO ARE: 1) TO PROMOTE GOOD PRACTICE AND THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF ITS MEMBER ORGANISATIONS FOR THE BENEFIT OF BLIND OR PARTIALLY SIGHTED PEOPLE OR THOSE LABOURING UNDER SOME TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT INCAPACITY OR DISABILITY THAT MAKES READING A STRAIN BY. A) TO SUPPORT REPRESENT AND DEVELOP THE WORK OF ORGANISATIONS WITHIN THE UNITED KINGDOM WHICH UNDERTAKE THE SYSTEMATIC PROVISION OF NEWS AND OTHER MATERIAL BY DIGITAL OR ANALOGUE TRANSMISSIONS (“TALKING NEWS ORGANISATIONS”) THROUGHOUT THE UNITED KINGDOM. B) PROMOTING AND ASSISTING THE FORMATION OF TALKING NEWS ORGANISATIONS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED KINGDOM.

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Other Charitable Purposes · website · Get email alerts

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity registered a deficit of £31,861 for the year ended 31 March 2025, primarily due to subsidizing member events which cost over £24,000. Despite this deficit, the trustees confirm the charity remains financially viable, supported by unrestricted reserves that are significantly above the stated policy target of 50% of annual expenditure.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

• Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
• Complaints handling
• Complaints policy and procedures
• Conflicting interests
• Financial reserves policy and procedures
• Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
• Internal risk management policy and procedures
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
• Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
• Social media policy and procedures
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
• Trustee expenses policy and procedures
• Volunteer management

Funders the charity credits

Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).

• British Wireless for the Blind Fund (BWBF) — “Our Supporters are charities and commercial companies that support the work of TNF and the local TNs. Below you will find short paragraphs t…” (source page)
• Calibre Audio Library — “Calibre Audio Library is a registered national charity that brings the freedom to read to those who are blind, partially sighted, dyslexic o…” (source page)
• Advanced Digital Research (UK) Ltd — “Advanced Digital Research (UK) Ltd (Formerly Graff of Newark Ltd) As a UK manufacturer Advanced Digital Research (UK) Ltd have been supplyin…” (source page)
• Verlingue — “Verlingue ( Formerly ICB Group UK) Verlingue are the insurance brokers who research and manage the insurance policies for members of the TNF…” (source page)

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook

Register events

• Received assets from another charity (24/03/2026) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
• Received assets from another charity (28/10/2025) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
• Received assets from another charity (01/08/2023) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
• Received assets from another charity (12/01/2023) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
• Received assets from another charity (14/07/2022) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
• Received assets from another charity (20/10/2020) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

• MICHAEL JAMES WOODchair · trustee of 1 other charity
• David John Beard · trustee of 1 other charity
• Deborah Jenkins Harrison
• Dr Temidayo Akinwunmi
• Margaret Rona Grainger
• RICHARD BLACK · trustee of 1 other charity

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Northern Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Common questions

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).