The Heritage micropub in Halfway is pulling in the pounds for a worthy cause.

Melvin Hopper, who co-owns the pub with his wife, Margaret, teamed up with the Spitalfield Trust and Mad Cat Brewery last year to create a drink to help raise funds for the Sheerness Dockyard Church appeal.

Since then it has raised £500 by donating 30p from every £3.20 pint to the restoration project.

And that figure is set to rise after the couple recently added a specially-brewed summer ale from the Brogdale-based brewery to its pumps so it can continue to support the cause in the same manner.

The Grade II* listed building was damaged in a fire caused by a spark from a bonfire in 2001.

It was bought in 2005 by developer David Watson for £110,000. Three years later he was granted planning permission on appeal to convert the 19th century building into 22 flats and build five terraced houses but when the permission expired, an application for an extension was turned down.

An estimated £4 million is needed to realise the trust’s project to convert the site into a community facility and business units. It is hoped most of the money will be made available from grants.

Will Palin, 44, Blue Town resident and trustee of The Spitalfields Trust, said: “The winter ale was such a success that they’re now doing a summer ale that has just been uncorked. They’re just slightly different in flavour and ingredients but they’re both delicious.

“In fact, it’s been so successful that the Mat Cat Brewery are at capacity so they’re going to have to expand to meet demand of the ale which is called Dockyard Church.

“The nice thing is it’s not just raising money, it’s also raising the profile of the project.

“It’s a big complex project but I would hope in three years time to be looking at it completed.”