St Edmundsbury Cathedral Achieves Friendly WiFi Certification

We are thrilled to announce that St Edmundsbury Cathedral has been Friendly WiFi certified. 

What is Friendly WiFi? Friendly WiFi is a government-initiated safe certification standard for public WiFi. It ensures that WiFi services meet minimum filtering standards, especially in areas where children are present. St Edmundsbury Cathedral now proudly displays the Friendly WiFi symbol, assuring visitors of a secure online experience.

Why Safe WiFi Matters in Cathedrals:

1. Community Hub: As a community gathering place, cathedrals host events, workshops, and educational programs. Safe WiFi ensures that attendees can connect without compromising their online safety.
   

2. Place of Worship: Worshippers can now access WiFi during services, study groups, or quiet reflection. Friendly WiFi protects them from harmful content while maintaining a sacred environment.
   

3. Child Protection: With Friendly WiFi, it blocks access to inappropriate websites, including those displaying pornography and child sexual abuse material. The cathedral’s commitment to safety extends to the youngest members of their congregation.
   

Whether you visit a cathedral for worship, learning, or simply to enjoy the beautiful buildings and environments, providing a safe online experience is really important. 

Bev Smith, Director at Friendly WiFi supports their decision, “In our modern world, even places of beauty and worship, such as St Edmundsbury Cathedral, like to keep their visitors connected online – a journey as part of the digital world.  It is great news to see the Cathedral take the proactive approach to become certified, to show that the WiFi provided can be enjoyed safely, keep children and families protected online.”

Sarah-Jane Allison, Chief Operating Officer at St Edmundsbury Cathedral added, “We have recently evolved our visitor experience using phone technology. We encourage visitors to connect online via a QR trail around the Cathedral building which provides a deeper context to what they see when they’re here. We also provide online orders of service to cut down on our volume of printing and be more environmentally friendly. Providing a safe browsing experience for our visitors while they use these resources is so important.”