A regional daily has teamed up with the widow of a church organist killed on Christmas Eve to launch a festive appeal in his memory.

Sheffield daily The Star has joined forces with Alan Greaves’ widow Maureen to launch Alan’s Appeal, which calls on readers to help a project run by his church in the city.

The paper is appealing for donations of food, along with clothes, books and toys, to be made to help St Saviour’s Community Project in High Green, which is planning a Christmas meal, where festive food parcels will be given out.

Alan was beaten to death on 24 December last year as he walked to the church to play the organ at the midnight service.

Jonathan Bowling, 22, admitted his murder and was jailed for life in July, while Ashley Foster, 22, was sentenced to nine years for manslaughter.

Tweeting about the launch of the campaign on Wednesday, editor James Mitchinson said: “Go get today’s Sheffield Star as we launch Alan’s Appeal. Please show your support!”

Volunteers at the church project run a food bank and shop, which were both set up by Alan and his wife just three weeks before his death.

The centre provides free food and affordable secondhand clothing, furniture and household goods.

Maureen told the paper: “I think Alan would be totally thrilled. I think he would be very humbled by The Star’s appeal.

“He worked on the project with me for eight years. It started with us collecting people’s secondhand goods in our garage and giving them to those who needed them most.

“He would have been so pleased to see the project expanding – it is something we dreamed of. But he didn’t want recognition. It has been a team effort.”

The project is planning to expand in the New Year, with new services including a Credit Union adviser and a job club.

On the day of the appeal launch, The Star also turned its masthead partly green in support of a NSPCC “Go Green Day” – a regional day of fundraising and awareness.