Alan Thorpe
Appearances
Global News Podcast
Six-day state funeral for Jimmy Carter begins in Georgia
They weigh between five and a half and six kilos. It's used by people of all ages, from small children all the way through to pensioners and older generations. It's there for learning to read and for writing. So I've been using one for nearly 45 years. It's recuted that there are about 500 parts inside a Perkins Brailler.
Global News Podcast
Six-day state funeral for Jimmy Carter begins in Georgia
Some tiny, tiny little springs the size of a grain of rice to larger bits, a drum for actually winding the paper round. It is fiddly work and I enjoy doing it. I'd like somebody else to learn. We never know what's round the corner for us. I've now just turned 60 and I think it's time that somebody else sort of took it on a bit and I'm self-employed and do this.
Global News Podcast
Six-day state funeral for Jimmy Carter begins in Georgia
I'm probably not in a position to employ somebody to do it, but happy for somebody to come along and be shown how to do it. I would still be on hand, but more for somebody to become that entrepreneur themselves, learn how to do it, do some servicing under their own steam, and I support them as long as I can.
Global News Podcast
Six-day state funeral for Jimmy Carter begins in Georgia
Yes. If a machine just comes for a service, it's just boring. It's just routine. The bottom off, the top, the back. The screwdriver knows its own way. It's been used that many times.
Global News Podcast
Six-day state funeral for Jimmy Carter begins in Georgia
But then actually trying to diagnose what the problem is, trying to get parts shipped over from America, because again, it's the only place you can get them from. There's quite hefty costs where there are some machines which are being used for donor parts because they've had a hard life. Yes, I've got a machine here that's nearly 70 years old and still working.
Global News Podcast
Six-day state funeral for Jimmy Carter begins in Georgia
I've got a few which are probably 40 or 50 years old which are still working.
Global News Podcast
Six-day state funeral for Jimmy Carter begins in Georgia
If nobody comes along, I would assume the servicing might still take place, but somebody to actually... and have the skills passed on for actually doing the major repairs, there probably wouldn't be anybody around. It's hard to imagine nobody being around for it, but it probably is the actual realistic answer.
Global News Podcast
Six-day state funeral for Jimmy Carter begins in Georgia
It's there for learning to read and for writing.