voice mail and voice message services.

Although his company Voice Ltd. was formed almost a year ago, Mr. Bascome was only recently granted an operating licence by the Government's Telecommunications Commission.

He runs the business on a part-time basis from his home in Somerset, where an IBM compatible computer and specialist software form the lynch pin of the operation. His total investment comes to more than $20,000.

Subscribers to the voice message service can place several items of recorded information on Mr. Bascome's computer which their customers can tap into by dialling the appropriate telephone number.

Mr. Bascome is targeting local churches and schools, which he believes will benefit most from the system. At a later date, he will run a marketing campaign aimed at Bermuda's hotels.

So far, his only client is the Allen Temple, an African Methodist Episcopal church of which he is a member.

The church leaves details about meetings, services and other information for its members. New information can be input by a designated person with the correct password at any time of the day simply by dialling a number.

"It is an efficient way of supplying accurate and up-to-date information as quickly as possible to people who need it,'' said Mr. Bascome, 27, who is the chief accountant for Colonial Insurance.

The other service he provides is voice mail, which gives a customer the facility to receive recorded messages in Bermuda and be able to listen to them from anywhere in the world.

"This is ideal for someone who travels a lot,'' said Mr. Bascome. "No matter where you are, all you have to do is pick up a phone and hear what messages have been left for you. It's easy and quick.'' Mr. Bascome is also offering a third, unrelated service -- the production of customised books for children learning to read.

His computer equipment allows him to key in the names of children and their family and friends into a formulated story and be able to print it out.

"The idea is to personalise a story in order to make it more interesting to the child and encourage him or her to read,'' he said. "It's for pre-school children, really.'' He already provides the service for three schools in his parish, courtesy of sponsorship by local businesses so the schools face no cost. He is planning to expand into Bermuda's other parishes.