A PENSIONER in Melksham is sharing some of her deepest thoughts and feelings in a self-penned book of prayers.

‘Through the Years Pam’s Prayers’ has been written by 84-year-old Pam Muller, of the Snowberry Lane estate in Melksham.

The lay reader has published a book of 80 prayers that she’s written at various times of her life over the past 70 years.

“They go back to when I was a teenager and in my early 20s and have been written for events in my life and at times of crisis,” said Pam.

“Some are long, some are short and some are medium in length. Usually something has started them off and some have been written at times of stress.”

Pam, who survived breast cancer 46 years ago, is now a widow, her husband Gerald having died. “Gerald had one or two favourites but I don’t think he would have thought that I would have a book published,” she said.

Mrs Muller is now a lay reader and lay minister with the Anglican group of churches in Melksham and her prayers are mostly written in verse.

The prayers contain pictures which have been specially chosen to match the verses. Their largely Christian themes range from Bible characters, to remembrance and friendship.

The book of prayers has been published by UK Media Solutions Ltd and Zoomi Print in Melksham. Priced at £5.50, 650 copies have been printed and more than half of them have already been sold.

Some are being donated to organisations such as Dorothy House, and the Royal United Hospital in Bath, while some proceeds from sales are being donated to the Samara’s Aid Appeal for Iraq.

Some proceeds will also go to St Michael’s and St Andrew’s Churches in Melksham to help pay for church repairs and renovations.

“We have given away copies to places where we feel the prayers would be helpful to people,” said Pam. “Some of the prayers have been written at times of personal stress and we feel they may be useful to other people.

“It’s nice to know that they are being helpful to people and that they have found comfort in them.”