BURY'S biggest-ever trade show will be staged next week and serve as one of the cornerstones of nationwide events to celebrate Israel's 50th anniversary.

A glittering dinner for 170 guests, including many VIPs, will be held in Bury Town Hall next Tuesday (June 16).

It will be followed the next day by a "Showcase Israel" trade show, which 250 business people are expected to attend.

Both events have been organised jointly by Business Link Bolton and Bury and Bury Council.

Guests at the dinner will be the Israeli ambassador, Mr Dror Zeigermann, and Mr Yacov Sandler and Mr Benny Kachriel, mayors of Rehovot and Ma'aleh Adumim respectively.

Also attending will be Sir David Alliance, who is heavily promoting trade between the UK and Israel, Bury South MP Mr Ivan Lewis, Bury Council chief executive Mr Dennis Taylor, and the chairman of Business Link Bolton and Bury, Mr Richard Yates.

At the "Showcase Israel" event some 32 organisations and businesses will be represented. These will include companies with local and national connections and those involving Israeli products and services.

The event is being supported by BT and El Al Airlines, and a prize draw at the exhibition will result in one lucky person winning flight tickets to Israel.

This "Showcase" could be instrumental in generating and encouraging strong business links between British and Israeli companies.

One of the men behind the events is the Bury chief executive. Mr Taylor was originally asked by the Zionist Convention if a suitable event to celebrate Israel's 50th anniversary could be arranged.

Mr Taylor, who is a director of Bolton and Bury Business Training and Enterprise Council, enlisted the help of Business Link to plan the dinner and exhibition.

With the borough home to the biggest Jewish community outside London, the trade show is seen as a fitting spectacle to mark Israel's 50th anniversary of independence.

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