FORTY-FIVE businesses in North Yorkshire plan to join forces to bring a bit of sunshine into disabled children’s lives.

They are all exhibitors at The Great Exhibition, a business-to-business event at the Novotel in York on April 13, designed to raise money to buy a £26,000 Sunshine Coach for the Variety Club of Great Britain.

The evening event, which is expected to attract up to 200 visitors, is being organised by Julie Dodsworth, of Boroughbridge plant display business, Dodsworth Ltd. It starts at 5pm and will include a guest speaker, Chris Fordy of ActionCoach.

Mrs Dodsworth has already succeeded in raising enough cash to buy one Sunshine coach using her business contacts and now she wants to repeat that success. The Novotel event is expected to raise about £2,000, but her other fundraising plans include a Midsummer Ball at Burn Hall on June 18 and a clay pigeon shoot on July 21.

She said: “All the stands at The Great Exhibition have been a sell-out at a modest £25 each. Entrance is free, but there will be a raffle and refreshments for sale.”