Auracast™ LOCATION PROFILE
Sheldon Road Methodist Church
About this location
Key stats
Location: Chippenham, England
Venue type: House of worship
Auracast™ equipment installed: FlooGoo
Installation: DIY installation
Located at the junction of Sheldon Road and Audley Road in Chippenham, England, Sheldon Road Methodist Church has served its community for 125 years. Beyond hosting Sunday worship services, the church functions as a community hub, offering events and activities throughout the week that bring local residents together.
The problem statement
For many years, hearing spoken words clearly during Sunday services was a challenge for members of the congregation with hearing loss. The church operated a hearing loop system for several decades, but not all hearing aids are compatible with loop technology. This left some attendees unable to benefit from the existing accessibility solution.
Church member Terry Thring experienced this issue firsthand. Although his hearing aids did not support hearing loops, they were compatible with Auracast™ broadcast audio. Frustrated by the difficulty of hearing what was being said during services, he began exploring alternative solutions that could improve accessibility and audio quality for himself and others facing similar challenges.
The Auracast™ solution
Deployment
Thring first learned about Auracast through online resources, including Aurahear, and quickly recognized its potential. Convinced that the technology could significantly improve the listening experience in the church, he began advocating for its adoption and ultimately donated an Auracast transmitter to the congregation.
The church selected to deploy a FlooGoo FMA121 Auracast™ transmitter because it offered an affordable and practical way to introduce Auracast™ broadcast audio to the facility. Installation proved remarkably simple. The church’s technical team provided the same audio feed already being sent to the hearing loop system, allowing the Auracast™ transmitter to be connected with minimal effort. The result was effectively a plug-and-play deployment that required no major modifications to existing operations or audio infrastructure.
Ultimately, the church decided to operate both systems side by side. The longstanding hearing loop remains available for those who rely on it, while the church’s Auracast™ solution provides an additional option for attendees whose devices support the newer technology.
Benefits
The introduction of Auracast™ broadcast audio has delivered an immediate improvement in the listening experience. “The sound quality is significantly better than relying on the microphones built into hearing aids, making speech during services much clearer and easier to understand,” said Thring.
The new system is available as an additional accessibility tool for anyone who wants to use it. By maintaining both the hearing loop and the Auracast™ system, the church ensures that no existing users are left behind while also supporting newer hearing technologies.
Although the deployment is still relatively new, there are already signs of growing interest. One congregation member is considering purchasing new Auracast™ enabled hearing aids to replace an older device, demonstrating how improved accessibility solutions can encourage broader adoption of modern hearing technologies.
A look ahead
While it is still early to measure long-term outcomes, the initial response has been highly encouraging. The church plans to continue operating both the hearing loop and Auracast™ systems for as long as needed, ensuring accessibility for a wide range of users.
For Thring, the improvement in audio quality alone makes Auracast™ broadcast audio a worthwhile investment. As awareness of Auracast™ systems continues to grow and more hearing devices become compatible, solutions like the one implemented at Sheldon Road Methodist Church have the potential to help many more people participate fully in worship services and community events.
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