MUSIC plays an important part in the life of Graham Bolton whether it be singing in the choir at St Anne's Church in Tottington, boosting the bass section at Bury Choral Society or enjoying a trip to the opera.

But next month will see him take on a musical challenge that is very close to his heart to raise money for Bury Hospice and for the charity Salve, which helps street children in Uganda.

Graham, aged 58, had planned to sing a psalm at Canterbury on behalf of a member of the congregation at St Anne’s where he has been a regular for nearly 20 years and in the choir for 10 years. His wife, Susan, is a church warden.

But so many people have now come forward asking for dedications on behalf of friends and relatives that Graham has decided to sing every psalm from The Parish Psalter — all 150 of them!

Over a nine-day period Graham, a town planning consultant, will walk 110 miles along the ancient trail of The Pilgrim's Way from Farnham in Hampshire to Canterbury Cathedral — and his only companion will be the book of psalms he will sing on his journey.

Graham said: “It’s been a long held ambition of mine to walk The Pilgrim’s Way following the route that countless pilgrims have taken down the centuries, pilgrims who themselves would have sung chants as they travelled.”

Graham will take a selection from the works of Chaucer, his pitch pipes and the Anglican Chant Book with him and he plans to cover between six and 18 miles each day.

The route will take in the cathedrals of Guildford and Rochester and end at Canterbury Cathedral on Sunday, June 20, where Graham will arrive in time for the morning service. There he will sing his final Psalm, 121 — “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,from whence cometh my help” — a psalm of special significance to him.

Graham’s efforts will benefit both Bury Hospice and the charity SALVE (Safety And Love Via Education) which was co-founded by his daughter Helen, aged 25, a former head girl of Bury Grammar School who spent six months working at an orphanage in Uganda.

Anyone wishing to dedicate a psalm and to make a donation can log on to justgiving.com/psalms4hospice or justgiving.com/Psalms4SALVE