A charity wanting to turn a redundant church into a homeless shelter hopes the new year will bring its dream closer to reality.

A major fundraising push will see a project director appointed and the start of refurbishment work.

The Emmaus commune-style charity, where residents will be self-supporting, needs £2.3m to make it all happen. The project believes new life will be breathed back into one of the city’s most imposing landmarks, St Mary’s Catholic Church on the Shipley-Airedale Road, once builders move in.

The Leeds Diocese gave the listed building as a “generous gift” to the non-religious charity.

Darren Birkinshaw, a Bradford property solicitor, is the project’s chairman and he says the shelter would put a roof over 20 to 27 companions.

The idea of the project, he says, is to give a bed and a reason to get out of it.

The companions have to sign off benefits, and work renovating and re-selling furniture to support the community.

Mr Birkinshaw said: “We are pushing ahead with the plans and with fundraising to make it all happen. We want to create as much interest and awareness as we can of what we are doing.”

Under the project, drugs and alcohol are banned, and in return for accommodation the companions are able to develop new skills and rebuild confidence.

Mr Birkinshaw said a strong steering group had now been established and a project plan prepared. The group is now applying for formal affiliation to Emmaus UK, which has Terry Waite as its president.

The steering group also wants to hear from anyone with past connections to the church who has memories or photographs to help build an archive to celebrate the life of the building.

For more information, e-mail darrenbirkinshaw@schoeys.com.