A BORDERS church minister is one of many women to help create the first audio version of the New International Version (NIV) Bible recorded entirely by women.

Reverend Rosie Frew, who covers Melrose and Bowden Parish Church, said she was "excited" by the audio Bible project which was launched on International Women's Day (March 8).

The audio version of the Bible was recorded solely by women as part of a project by Her Audio Bible UK.

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Ms Frew said: "As a woman who has only ever heard recordings of the Bible read by men, usually with English or American accents, I was excited by this project.

"Over 30 years ago now, quite early on in my ministry in Largo, Fife, we were encouraged as a congregation to take part in an initiative being promoted by the Scottish Bible Society called Faith Comes by Hearing.

"The premise being that when we listen we often understand more fully, we get caught up in the drama of a passage, we get a better sense of what's being said and faith comes, or faith is strengthened, or difficult aspects of faith are considered by hearing."

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Ms Frew read Matthew's Gospel, the longest book of the New Testament, from the Anglicised NIV Bible from 2011.

The aim of recording just women, all with a range of regional accents, is to give listeners the chance to engage with the Bible in a new way.

Her Audio Bible UK also explain that using women's voices in the audio Bible can help those who find it difficult to listen to male voices – like those who have experiences of abuse or violence associated with men.

Reverend Katy Partridge, director and producer of Her Audio Bible UK, said: "Women's voices matter to God.

"If women are somehow excluded from religious spaces, the message they receive is that their voice does not matter to God or is less important.

"Sometimes theophanies [visible manifestations of God's presence] come in the wind and the fire, and sometimes in the gentle whisper, so it's interesting to me to hear Scripture in a wide range of tones and depths and strengths."

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Her Audio Bible UK is the first project by the charity Open Word UK.

Her Audio Bible UK will be available for free through a number of audiobook services, including Spotify and through its website: www.heraudiobible.org.uk.