A £3 million appeal to business is being launched by the Bishop of Bradford to help pay for building work on church schools in the diocese.

The Right Reverend David Smith is to launch the project in the headquarters of the Skipton Building Society on Wednesday, September 27.

The diocese has a total of 60 schools and is appealing to firms because it has spent £3 million building the Immanuel Community College in Thackley, developing the Cathedral Community College at the former Bowling Community College and improving smaller schools throughout the diocese.

Many of the voluntary aided schools which the Anglican church helps to maintain are more than 100 years old and need repairs, improvements and extensions.

The bishop said: "The Church is rightly concerned about the quality of people's lives in today's society and I believe that our local schools provide a strong cornerstone upon which to build.

"I know that a great many people share this view and will be willing to support this ethos in practical ways within our communities.

"This appeal offers an opportunity for business people, individuals and organisations, who wish to contribute and so help preserve the quality of these schools."

The appeal is being launched over a period of weeks in different parts of the diocese and the first launch is in the Craven area which has 32 church schools.

It is being chaired by the Archdeacon of Craven, the Venerable Malcolm Grundy.

He said: "We will welcome pledges in kind as well as finance from anyone who can provide a service which schools need when building, such as joinery, architecture, plumbing, or even quantity surveying."

Appeal director Franklin Schutz said: "Everybody values the education of our children and funding has become increasingly difficult for the schools."

John Goodfellow, chief executive of the Skipton said: "It is an expensive task to maintain and run school premises and the Church provides excellent education for our region's children.

"Those who support this very worthwhile appeal are investing not only in our children of today but also the workforce of tomorrow."