Organist's musical marathon

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An organist is recovering after completing a novel fundraising effort for his village church - playing every song in the parish hymnbook during a mammoth six-hour session.

Don Hickson came up with the idea when parishioners were thinking of ways to fund a new toilet for Waltham St Lawrence church.

The 74-year-old said he wanted to try something different, and so offered to play a sponsored songathon.

He said: "I had a brainwave. People run marathons and do that sort of thing, and I know on some occasions choirs sing through entire song books. I thought I could play through the hymn book and get people to sponsor me.
"People thought I was completely and utterly bonkers.
"It seemed to a be a little bit of an unusual thing to do. In the parish magazine you see people doing sponsored marathons, but I decided a bigger challenge would be appropriate."

Mr Hickson's hymn marathon took place on Saturday and lasted more than six hours.

During that time he had stopped only once for a brief lunch break, and made his way through all 533 scores featured in the Hymns Ancient and Modern songbook.

"It went very well," he said. "Quite a few people came and went during the day. They gave me some encouraging support, and it was nice to have them sitting there."

Mr Hickson was the Waltham St Lawrence Church organist for 30 years before he retired in 2003.

The father-of-two has played piano for more than 50 years, and said he has now collected £400 in sponsorship money.

He said: "The reactions ranged from people saying 'what a good idea', to 'you must be mad', which is probably nearer the truth.
"I don't think anybody has ever done it before, but when you get an idea like that the only thing is to go with it and see what happens on the day."