Live streaming: church AV experts ask ‘is the stream still flowing one year on?’
[ALMOST A YEAR after installing web streaming and CCTV
equipment at the Grade One-listed Our Lady Help of Christians & St Denis in Torquay, the team from audio-visual specialists APi Communications revisited the beautiful church on the English Riviera to see how it was being used. APi manging director Andy Pidsley commented: “It was great to see how Canon Michael Lock, the parish priest, and his team are now able to offer parishioners and the wider community access to a variety of parish services which are streamed daily via You Tube – search for Potts
Chatto. Other significant events, including weddings, baptisms, funerals and parish celebrations are also live-streamed and have attracted almost 7,000 views and 77 followers to date.” Finance committee buildings lead Richard Stead, who alongside other members of the parish team live-streams on a daily basis, said: “Being able to stream has enhanced how we engage with our congregation. We started streaming in February 2021 and I have to say we haven’t looked back. We are also very grateful to the Lottery Community Fund for their support in this venture. “People who are unable to attend church services in person obtain great spiritual benefit from the streaming option, which is part of our wider outreach programme. They have the option to join us online and maintain some routine and sense of normality in what has been a difficult time during the 22 months of the pandemic. This, along with other elements of our outreach programme, will continue for the foreseeable future.” Built in 1869 by the Potts-Chatto family, the church of Our Lady Help of Christians & St Denis was solemnly opened in 1881. The site includes a convent which was completed in 1871. Being of such historic value the church is Grade One listed and therefore required special consideration by APi when installing the streaming equipment and CCTV. For example, cameras and cables are discretely hidden so as not to detract from the incredible architecture and statues on display. Richard continued: “I was amazed at how simple the whole process from installation to live-streaming was. APi were extremely efficient – they just got on with the job and are clearly familiar with working on listed buildings. Their expertise was evident before and during the installation. “APi also provided training on how to use the equipment, which I was able to explore and expand. I am responsible for programming the service schedule and I have trained other team members to operate the equipment independently. This means that the system is very straightforward to use and reliable: and APi are always on the end of the phone for any additional support if required. I highly recommend using APi Communications for any streaming and CCTV applications.” q • To find out more about streaming in your church, contact APi Communications on 0845 557 8350 or via email at info@apicommunications.co.uk. A member of their team will be happy to help. APi Communications will also be attending CRE South West from 23-24 February 2022 at Westpoint in Exeter. If you would prefer to discuss your sound and visual requirements in person, you can visit them on Stand D10.
20
www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk
