A charity embarking on turning a disused church into a homeless shelter needs to raise enough funds to recruit a project director to drive its plans forward.

In all the Emmaus commune-style charity, where residents will be self-supporting, needs £2.3 million to make the dream a reality but at least £55,000 initially to get a project director on board for the first year and setting up costs.

The project will be based at St Mary’s Catholic Church on the Shipley-Airedale Road. The building was given to the non-religious group by the Leeds Catholic Diocese.

Darren Birkinshaw, a Bradford property solicitor, is the project’s chairman who co-runs the Bradford operation with his wife Alison and other volunteers who combine the charity work with their own full-time commitments.

Mrs Birkinshaw said: “We need a project director now to fully dedicate themselves to driving the project forward and sourcing more funding. We could still be looking at another 18 months to two years before work actually starts in the church but we’re working very hard on it and it’s happening now.”

The shelter would put a roof over 20 to 27 companions, giving them 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.

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

The group is affiliated to Emmaus UK, which has Terry Waite as its president, and if everything goes to schedule will become Emmaus’s 21st open community in the UK. The nearest one to Bradford is in Leeds.

  • Read the full story in Wednesday's T&A