'Psalmathon' to save church roof

Rector Bethan Scotford will be spending two hours at a time reading all 150 psalms (Pic: Daily Post)

A rector is embarking on what she has dubbed a "Psalmathon" to help raise funds to fix her church's roof.

The Reverend Bethan Scotford hopes to read and sing every one of the 150 entries in the Bible's Book of Psalms at her Denbighshire church.

Beginning on Monday, she hopes to spend up to four hours a day working her way through the book, finishing her marathon on Friday.

The fundraising is for repairs to the roof of St Mael and Sulien in Corwen.

The rector said the parish needs to raise around £50,000 to cover the cost of repairs to the roof and tower of the church, which dates back to the 12th Century.

"The architects tell us that the roof is the priority, and we've already raised around £7,000," she explained.

Hopefully, the voice will sustain itself to the end of the week The Reverend Bethan Scotford

"I am hoping that my efforts will add a little more to the pot, perhaps taking it to £10,000."

But the cleric insisted that she was not underestimating the challenge she had set herself.

"There are 150 psalms, and that is over 2,500 verses to read or sing - it is going to be a long journey," she said.

Some of the psalms will be chanted and sung to music written by Welsh composers, while the rector admitted that some would have to be read out.

"There is one psalm that is nearly 200 hundred verses. I'll definitely be reading that one," she said.

But she also wants members of the community to join in the 'psalmathon'.

"The doors to the church will be open every day for people to come in. They can pick up a psalm book themselves and join in, or just come to give me some support - and help with donations," added the rector.

"Hopefully, the voice will sustain itself to the end of the week."