Press Release issued: 12 November 2011.
Cowdenbeath Football Club is turning the page on a new chapter in community involvement today. The club is lending its support to a charity drive to increase the number of 'talking books' available to blind and partially sighted people.
It is helping to promote the Royal National Institute of Blind People Scotland's 'Read for RNIB' campaign. This is inviting individuals and organisations across the country to stage any activities they can think of with a literary flavour to raise awareness of the need for more books to be made available in audio and braille.
And the club - nicknamed 'The Blue Brazil' - has chosen a title about the club's knife-edge success in winning the league in 2006, 'Helicopter Dreams', written by Ron Ferguson, a former Church of Scotland minister and devoted fan who says he suffers from 'Mad Cowdenbeath Disease'.
The author, himself, is attending Saturday's match against Stenhousemuir. Also attending is 76 year-old Blue Brazil fan Stewart Lindsay, who has a personal reason for backing the move. Stewart lost his sight to a form of glaucoma six years ago and today only has very limited vision in one eye.
"I'm very happy to join Ron at Central Park today in support of RNIB Scotland, of which I'm a member," he said. "I've been a Cowdenbeath fan for 65 years and I'm a great admirer of Ron's books about the team. I also like to read sports reference books so I do endorse this campaign to get more literature available in formats that people like myself can access."
Club Secretary Alex Anderson said: "We are delighted to take part in the 'Read for RNIB' campaign and to help get the message out to readers that this really is a campaign worth supporting and the boys, and girls, from the Blue Brazil are right behind it!"
RNIB Scotland hopes the campaign will help it raise urgently needed funds to provide reading services and equipment to blind and partially sighted people.
A spokesperson for the charity said: "'Read for RNIB' is about having fun reading and making a difference to people living with sight loss. Even a £1 donation can help blind and partially sighted people receive access to books in braille, giant print and audio 'talking books'.
"It's fantastic that Cowdenbeath are helping us promote this vital cause and we're very grateful to the club for their generosity."
You can support or make a donation to RNIB Scotland at www.rnib.org.uk/readforrnibday.