A literary society in Edinburgh is doing a good turn for a sight loss charity today by reading in relay one of the most famous books ever to be set in the capital.
Members of the Edinburgh Robert Louis Stevenson Society will meet in Deacon Brodie's Tavern on the Royal Mile this afternoon to take turns reading passages from the ten chapters of Stevenson's celebrated chiller 'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'.
And Scottish actor John Shedden, who has portrayed the Edinburgh-born Stevenson on stage, will take part dressed in period costume to read Dr Jekyll's dramatic final confession.
The location couldn't be more appropriate. Deacon Brodie's Tavern is named after the infamous real-life 18th century figure who lived in the locality and was the basis for Mr Hyde.
Today's event is in support of a campaign by the Royal National Institute of Blind People Scotland to highlight the need for more books to be made available in formats such as audio, braille and large print.
John Sheddon said: "The several recordings of different authors such as Stevenson, Burns and Scott that I have done on CD for RNIB's 'Talking Books' library have been in a very worthy cause. I'm delighted to take part of today's event."
John Legg, director of RNIB Scotland, said: "We are hugely grateful to the Edinburgh Robert Louis Stevenson Society for organising this wonderful event among its members. We hope it will highlight the need for the public to support our drive to make more books accessible to people with sight loss.
"RNIB's Talking Books library has been called a lifeline by members. But it costs between £1,000 and £2,500 to record a Talking Book or produce it in braille - so we do very much rely on the support of the public to help us continue this vital work."
Mitchell Manson of the Edinburgh Robert Louis Stevenson Society said: "Reading this gripping tale out loud in this setting in the very heart of Edinburgh's Old Town is a great experience for us."
How your donation can help people with sight loss enjoy reading:
£50 will pay for a birthday book, so we can send every child their favourite book in the format they want on their birthday.
£100 pays for a full day's recording of Talking Newspapers - audio versions of the daily papers people with sight loss know and love.
£125 helps run classes that prepare parents to teach braille to their children.
£250 can help buy a 'braille-note' machine, so someone with sight loss can read and write on their own again, rather than relying on others.
You can support or make a donation to RNIB Scotland at www.rnib.org.uk/readforrnibday