Bradford theatre company Mind the Gap has reached a £10,000 fundraising target celebrating its 25th anniversary year.

Over the past year the Manningham-based company, which provides training for actors with disabilities, has run a fundraising campaign called the Silver Challenge, aiming to raise £10,000 by the end of the anniversary year, this month. The challenge has involved Mind the Gap handing out £10 to people as an investment, in a bid to get their own fundraising underway.

Mind the Gap will be celebrating hitting its target with a curry demonstration marking the World Curry Festival. A world-class chef will show guests how to cook from a range of flavours and spices at the theatre company’s Silk Warehouse studios at Lister Mills, Manningham.

The event includes a concert headlined by Jeni and Billy, a folk and bluegrass act from Nashville, supported by King Courgette with two musicians who work with Si McGrath and Billy Hickling.

Business development manager Lisa Mallaghan said: “Over the last year, supporters from have dedicated their time, energy and passion to help us reach our £10,000 target, giving talks, hosting dinner parties and gigs and conquering the Yorkshire Three Peaks. We have been overwhelmed by their support.

“We particularly want to thank Carole O’Connor and the team at Sainsbury’s Greengates for their amazing contributions.”

Artistic director Tim, who turned himself into a ‘human tattoo thermometer’ for the challenge, has so far raised more £1,000 for the appeal. He has pledged to have the Mind the Gap tattoo etched onto his body - which part of his body depends on the final amount raised. The amount he has raised so far puts the tattoo between his knee and bottom. The tattoo will be done by Terrorvision guitarist and tattoo artist Mark Yates, who owns tattoo parlour Snakes N Daggers in Baildon, who got involved after reading about Mr Wheeler's unusual fundraising project in the Telegraph & Argus. "I've known and worked Mr Wheeler said: "Mark widely supports our work with learning disabled artists.”

Mind the Gap was founded in 1988 by Mr Wheeler and Susan Brown with the aim of creating an artistic space for learning-disabled and non-disabled artists to tell their stories through theatre. Today it trains actors with disabilities and tours productions nationally.

* The curry demonstration takes place on Friday, June 20 from 11am to 12noon. Tickets are available on (01274) 487390.

email: emma.clayton@telegraphandargus.co.uk