A Keighley cafe has launched a fundraising drive in support of a special school’s minibus appeal.

Cafe Hope in Central Hall, Alice Street, aims to raise at least £2,000 for the Phoenix School fund. Activities will be held over six months, with a fun day on March 2 among the highlights.

The Braithwaite Avenue school has so far raised about £12,000 towards a specially-adapted minibus, which will enable pupils in wheelchairs to take part in trips out.

A further £5,000 is needed in the campaign, being backed by the Keighley News.

Tracey Thomas, manager of Cafe Hope, a non-profit social enterprise, said she and her colleagues were determined to coin in as much as possible.

“If we can get the school £2,000 that would be great, but the more the better,” she said.

“One of our volunteers suggested the Phoenix appeal as our chosen cause, and we agreed it was the kind of thing we wanted to support.”

Ms Thomas said the fun day in the cafe and Healey Hall function room at Central Hall, from 11am to 2pm, would feature a wide range of attractions.

Children’s characters Peppa Pig and Bob the Builder will be present, there will be bouncy castles, table-top games and jam sandwiches, and Keighley Furniture Project is loaning soft play mats.

There will also be crafts, and people are invited to hire tables at £10 a time. The Friends of Phoenix School will also have stalls. Anyone wishing to volunteer to provide entertainment on the day is asked to contact Ms Thomas on 01535 612536.

Another fundraiser at the cafe is a ‘safe-cracker’ venture. People pay £1 for three attempts at guessing a combination, with half the money going into the prize pot and the remainder to the minibus appeal.