A CHURCH in Bradford is aiming to raise £60,000 by the end of May to help pay for the installation of a new environmentally-sustainable boiler.

St Stephen’s Church has been offered a grant of £200,000 by energy provider npower to help pay for a new bio-mass boiler and underfloor heating.

An application for the boiler has been refused by Bradford Council, stating worries “dangerous gas” could be released into the surrounding area, but Sarah Hinton, wife of vicar Jimmy Hinton, said the setback would not affect the church’s fundraising efforts.

Mrs Hinton, 54, said: “Our architects are trying to get hold of people to explain we can put in the right type of boiler with the right amount of filters so that it is safe.”

She said the £60,000 would go towards a new floor to go over the underfloor heating.

“Npower have offered us the boiler and underfloor heating, and we will continue to fundraise and work with Bradford Council.

“The church is being increasingly used for community activities, and this new heating system would enable us to use it more for the community.”

Mrs Hinton and her husband are completing an eight-day tandem bike ride to London from the church, departing on Sunday, May 14, to raise funds, and members of the community are also doing their utmost to raise money for the new boiler.

“We have an exercise group of mainly Muslim women who did a sponsored exercise class in aid of the boiler.

“The whole community is coming together but this is a huge setback, but I am sure we will find a way around it.

“Without this boiler many of our community events may not be able to go ahead.

“We are passionate about the environment and green schemes, so we are desperate to have a sustainable church.”

A spokesman for npower confirmed the company had committed to at least £200,000 of funding for the biomass boiler.

She said: “Npower have offered to fund the boiler from our Juice Fund, which was created as part of our green energy tariff to fund community based renewable energy projects.

“Green power provides an environmentally friendly heating solution to a hard to heat building.”

To find out more about the project or to donate, visit warmtheheart.co.uk.