Paralysed girl set to benefit from fundraising evening

Nine-year-old Bel Young, whose family is from Harrogate and formerly lived in Embsay, has to spend four days each week in hospital and breathes with the aid of a ventilator following the accident last year.

Funds are needed for specialised rehabilitation equipment to help Bel, who was a pupil at Moorfield School in Ilkley, to make the transition from hospital to spending most of her time at home.

Bel’s parents Simon and Vanessa have set up The Being Bel Trust to co-ordinate fundraising and the installation of equipment and care services which will cost many thousands of pounds.

It is hoped that a musical evening and silent auction on Friday next week will help to raise money and organisers are appealing to companies to donate prizes.

Organiser Carol Dawson, from Beamsley, who recently visited Bel in Leeds General Infirmary, said: “I left feeling totally proud of this young girl who had such a positive attitude on her future and is a true inspiration to us all. I was so honoured to be allowed the privilege of meeting her.”

An array of items have already been donated for the auction and raffle, including a web-site by a professional web-designer, an oil painting, beauty treatments, a portrait photographic session and three hours’ gardening/building labour.

The charity evening of classical music and popular songs from the musicals will be held at Ilkley’s Craiglands Hotel; reception at 7.15pm for 8pm.

It will feature young soprano Alexandra Lowe, who has previously performed concerts in various Yorkshire locations including Ripley Castle, Bolton Abbey and Opera on the Grove in Ilkley in 2010.

Also performing will be violinist Joy Becker, pianist Nick Stevenson and tenor Christian Lunn, who sang in Les Misérables at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, last year.

Tickets are available from The Craiglands Hotel, Cowpasture Road, Ilkley LS29 8RQ; by calling 01943 430001 or emailing [email protected]. To donate items for the auction or raffle contact Carol Dawson on 07710 843003 or [email protected].