Info-Point: your visitors’ new guide

Info-Point: your visitors’ new guide

Two brothers-in-law have created a system for showing visitors round any church – without a personal guide.

Dan Boys and Joe Middleton established Info-Point from WildFi two years ago when Dan, a geography and environment management graduate, realised the system would benefit historic churches in remote areas with poor or non-existent wi-fi. It allows visitors to discover more about the building, its historic background and even the people buried in the churchyard.

The size of an A4 box file, Info-Point powers a QR code system which links with mobile phones to provide commentary in words, text or using photographs at key points in the church and grounds.

‘The system is simple and entirely self-contained and doesn’t use phone signals or require connection to the internet,’ said Dan.

St Swithun’s Church, Long Bennington, Lincolnshire have Info-Point. Anyone visiting the church with a smartphone can connect and take a historical tour of the church, read about its WW1 story and war graves, discover the God’s Acre churchyard wildlife project, download walks and rambles – and be informed of the church’s upcoming events.

On the Scottish Orkney island the unmanned Rousay Heritage Centre, which has no internet access, has the system installed to allow visitors to discover the island’s heritage using a touchscreen or their own device. The system can be installed in any church or churchyard – with solar power if no mains connection is available.

‘We are also using the system in a church which will need to be closed for redevelopment for some months,’ said Dan. ‘It will enable people to discover why the church is closed, the progress being made and when it will re-open.’

A church without a lot of historical background can still find the system useful. A notice board outside the church can provide the link to details of service times and other facilities.

• Info-Point from WildFi is on stand H4 at CRE National 2022

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