The dean of Worcester, the Very Revd Peter Atkinson, is attempting to read 25,000 lines of poetry over 30 hours to raise money for the city’s cathedral. Atkinson, who previously read 20,000 lines over 24 hours in 2010, will begin his latest poetry marathon at 9am on Thursday 29 August and end at 3pm on Friday 30 August. He plans to read the whole of Dante’s Divine Comedy, as well as requests from the public. He will be reading continuously, apart from a short break at the end of each hour. The dean said: “Poetry has always been a source of great joy and inspiration to me, so I cannot think of a better way to raise funds for this beautiful building, its music, its educational activities and its mission of hospitality.” You can sponsor the dean online here