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Blackfriars refurbishment will see new station
London’s 120-year-old Blackfriars Railway Bridge is to undergo a £6m refurbishment by industrial services group Pyeroy.
Excellence in Roofing: finalists announced
The National Federation of Roofing Contractors has announced the finalists in this year’s Excellence in Roofing Awards, including the popular Heritage category. The finalists have been selected based on demonstrated quality workmanship, technical difficulties encountered, problem solving, environmental qualities and aesthetics.A memorial should be a fitting tribute
Erecting a lasting memorial is the final service we can perform for a loved one when they have deceased and we put a great deal of care into choosing the right one.
However, the same attention to detail needs to be given to the placing and erection of the memorial. Indeed, burial authorities – whether religious or secular – have a duty of care to all those using the site and in particular the qualifications and competence of those working there.
What’s available and where
Preserving and maintaining the nation’s built heritage is also part and parcel of preserving the environment in which we live. That environmental husbandry extends to the materials we use in the restoration projects we undertake and new additions to the built heritage. Re-using and recycling is central to that work and is typified by the extensive use of architectural salvage.
Carving out an enviable reputation
The Master Carvers Association was founded in 1897 as an employers association, by a number of companies who employed carvers, to enable national negotiations with the emerging unions.
In 1992 the rules of the Association were changed to enable individual self-employed carvers to become members.
Hearing loops – why your venue should have one
Hearing loss is the second most common disability in the UK. The number of people affected is increasing and estimates suggest that by 2035, 15.6 million people in the UK will have hearing loss – that’s one in five of the population. Like every public building, places of worship and heritage venues should be accessible to people with hearing loss, as leading specialists in the field Contacta explain.
What is a hearing loop?
A hearing loop delivers the sound from a sound source such as a microphone, direct to a user’s hearing aids. It amplifies only the sound a listener wants to hear and not the background noise. It helps hearing aid users hear clearly in noisy environments or when they are far away from the sound source, and out of the effective listening range of their hearing aids.
Speech or music is picked up by the microphone and converted into a magnetic signal by an amplifier. The signal is transmitted towards users via a hearing loop aerial. This is often a ‘loop’ of cable around a room, or a small loop of wire contained underneath a counter in one-to-one situations.
The signal is then picked up by a telecoil within a user’s hearing aid or cochlear implant, which converts it back into sound.
The law
The Equality Act 2010 states that everyone should be treated equally. It replaces previous anti-discrimination laws, including the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).
In reference to the provision of hearing loops, the Act states that “Service providers are required to make changes, where needed, to improve services for disabled customers or potential customers… and to provide auxiliary aids and services (such as information in an accessible format, an induction loop for customers with hearing aids).”
The term “potential customers” is key. While venues might assume they don’t currently have anyone who needs a hearing loop, environments should be inclusive and accessible to all. Plus, it should be remembered that staff and volunteers can also benefit from assistive listening systems.
“For me, the experience of using the hearing loop was like going to ‘heaven’. I left feeling uplifted and positive.”
Places of Worship
Traditional places of worship are notorious for poor acoustics degrading the intelligibility of the spoken word. Ironically, for the hard of hearing we have largely solved the problem with the development and continuous improvement of induction loop systems.
Click here for further information
Regulations and standards
Part M of the Building Regulations 2010 provides guidance on complying with regulations that cover the access to and use of buildings. It states that to obtain the full benefit of situations such as discussions or performances “a person with hearing loss must receive a signal that is amplified in both volume and signal to noise ratio,” and provision must be made for a permanent system in larger spaces.
Requirements of Part M are only met if a hearing loop (also known as an induction loop), or alternatives such as a radio frequency or an infrared hearing enhancement system, is accompanied by signage, so those that need it know it is there.
BS 8300 is a code of practice compiled by the British Standards Institution detailing the required design of buildings for meeting the needs of disabled people.
Revisions in 2018 included specific reference to the needs of people with hearing loss, detailing where loops should be located, their installation, maintenance and staff training.
The common feature throughout both the law and the regulations is the need to offer an inclusive experience for people with hearing loss, to give them equal access and to ensure their safety; assistive listening systems are essential for emergency announcements and alarms as well as entertainment, worship and good customer service.
Testing and maintenance
Installing a hearing loop is only the first step. Systems should be regularly tested which can be done by staff with a small portable device known as a loop listener.
A maintenance plan, with annual visits from a qualified engineer, makes sure loops are performing to the correct standard. It also ensures venues continue to comply with the law and standards governing accessibility, and worshippers and visitors return because of the positive listening experience.
You can find out more about your specific requirements by contacting a loop system expert in your area and there is a selection in our online directory under Loop Systems - just click here.
St Leonard's Church gets clear sound throughout - for those with and without hearing aids
Nestled in a picturesque Somerset village, St. Leonard’s is a charming rural parish church commanding beautiful views over the surrounding countryside. The site and some parts of the structure are believed to date back to the 14th century. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II-listed building.
As part of a project to modernise and conserve the building, it was decided to upgrade the existing public announcement (PA) system and install an induction loop system.
Click here to read the full story.
Just to be clear: choose your speakers with care
Whether you’re a regular member of the congregation or attending a wedding, funeral or some other religious ceremony, there’s nothing more frustrating than having to struggle to understand what is being said. That was brought into sharp focus recently at St Mary the Virgin, in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside – a local church struggling with exactly that sort of sound issue. Complaints of distortion and patchy coverage were common among the congregation, leading to an urgent need for an overhaul of their sound system.
Click here to read the full story.
New AV system brings added life to services
In an era characterised by rapid technological advancements it is imperative for places of worship to adapt and evolve to meet the changing needs of their congregations. Putnoe Heights Methodist Church in Bedford has taken a commendable step in that direction by partnering with Scanaudio to install the NEC PA703W projector and Kramer VP-440X video switcher – ushering in a new era of multimedia capabilities that promise to enhance the worship experience for all.
Click here to read the full story.
Streaming service brings the church to all
In an age when technology seamlessly integrates with spirituality, St Elphege’s RC Church in Wallington, Surrey, has taken a significant step forward by partnering with Scanaudio to introduce a state-of-the-art web streaming service. The groundbreaking initiative aims to bridge the physical and digital realms of worship, allowing the congregation to connect with their faith, irrespective of physical presence.
Click here to read the full story.
Keeping it simple is the watchword for St Ann’s new system
Dating from the 1890s, St Ann’s Church in the Welsh seaside town of Rhyl now boasts thoroughly modern audio-visual systems – both in the church and the church hall – courtesy of Richard King Systems. The facilities now include upgraded sound systems, new audio loop systems, updated AV-projector systems, and comprehensive wi-fi coverage.
Click here to read the full story.
New church is blank canvas for sound system
The completion of The Lighthouse Church in Heswall, Wirral, is the culmination of a nine-year project to build the brand new church as a place of worship, service and hospitality. As the previous 1960s building was showing its age, with many things wrong that were going to be very expensive to fix, it was decided to create the building that was really needed.
Click here to read the full story.
Contacta offers hearing access for all with new RX-30 rechargeable loop listener
Assistive listening specialists, Contacta Systems, have launched a new rechargeable loop listener, offering worshippers enhanced access to sound.
The RX-30 is a complete wireless receiver, designed to help people with hearing loss who don’t use a hearing aid or cochlear implant.
Click here to read the full story.
21st century sound for places of worship
Univox Audio have added the unique Activo Speaker series from Fulgor Service to their product range.
Ken Hollands, director at Univox Audio said: "With speech intelligibility at the core of everything we do, we are pleased to bring the unique speaker technology from Fulgor Service to the UK to help transform the service that our pro audio installers deliver to their customers."
Click here to read the full story.
Magnificent self-built church accessible to all
When the congregation of High Street Church in Cambridgeshire outgrew the 19th Century chapel, members decided to rebuild a larger church in 2008, entirely by themselves. Finding the skills necessary to build the place of worship from within the congregation, The Ark is believed to be one of the largest self-built projects in the UK.
Click here to read the full story
Iconic Liverpool building gains wireless FM assistive listening
Previously known as Great George Street Congregational Church, a £6m renovation saw this iconic building in Liverpool’s China Town converted into a community arts centre in 1975. Now known as the “The Black-E”, the management of the 19th century Grade II listed building asked Contacta to install a hearing loop in the main hall in 2021.
Click here to read the full story
Scanaudio provide induction loop at Temple Farm
Temple Farm is a new 84-acre UK headquarters for the International Bible Students Association (IBSA) located near Chelmsford, Essex. The site has up to 1,000 volunteer workers per day alongside a small number of outside sub-contractors and is professionally managed and run by the organisation.
Click here to read the full story.
Inspect and Protect with ATLAS
Lightning protection is widely used within the corporate sector but many churches and heritage buildings are unaware of the need for specialist lightning protection.
Listed Property Show returns to Olympia - 15th & 16th Feb 2014
The Listed Property Show has brought together the industry’s best. Find experts on listed property regulations, have a chat with conservation officers and meet with architects and planners.
You can also track down that elusive specialist builder or supplier of windows, doors, paints, flooring and more – all under one roof at London’s Olympia.
There’s no other event like it. It’s a unique opportunity for a stress free one-to-one conversation with Conservation Officers, who will happily talk you through any hypothetical plans that you may have about altering or extending your home.
Alongside are architects and planners, window and door manufacturers, craftsmen, and “caring” builders as well as practical demonstrations and informative talks.
Entry to the show is free to readers when applied for in advance; get your free invitation now from www.lpoc.co.uk or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Alternatively ring 01795 844939.
If you own, or are thinking of buying a listed building, your first port of call should be the Listed Property Show!
Are you ready to baroque and roll?
In 2009 the cultural world celebrates a year given over to the baroque: music, architecture, art and style. Baroque 09 brings together museums, galleries, orchestras and broadcasting organisations to celebrate the opulence and splendour of the period from the mid 17th to the late 18th centuries.
How clients can benefit from Institute’s standards
One of the most important resources for those looking for specialist advice in the field of historic building conservation is the Historic Environment Service Provider’s Recognition (HESPR) scheme, part of the trading arm of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC).
HESPR has been described as “…a recognition and promotional service for companies and practices active in the historic environment, which work to the IHBC’s professional and ethical standards.
Read more: How clients can benefit from Institute’s standards
Stone industry honours its top projects
Projects in Scotland’s Isle of Cumbrae and in Birmingham, Yorkshire, Nottingham, Windsor and London were among the top award winners in the Stone Federation Great Britain’s 2008 national awards. The awards were presented at the beginning of December at a luncheon at Lord’s cricket ground compered by broadcaster Jim Rosenthal and the National Lottery’s ‘voice of the balls’ Alan Dedicoat.
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