HOPE & Social are the latest addition to the Lord Mayor of York's Charity Gala Concert at York Barbican on Sunday, after a little encouragement from the Lord Mayor himself, Councillor Ian Gillies.

More precisely, two members of the Leeds band will now be taking part in the closing number of the fund-raising event.

"It's all due to the pressure of the Lord Mayor at the Y15 Conference at Scarborough on Wednesday," explains event organiser Graham Bradbury.

"When The Grand Old Uke Of York accompanied Hope & Social on stage to close the conference, where they played The Big Wide, the Lord Mayor felt it right and proper that Hope & Social should be represented and help with the finale on the night at the Barbican."

The Big Wide will conclude Sunday's programme too, having first made an impact as Hope & Social's theme tune for the Yorkshire Festival that accompanied Le Grand Depart for last year's Tour de France. H&S memorably performed it at Le Grand Depart's opening ceremony too at Leeds First Direct Arena to a television audience of 300 million.

Hosted by BBC Radio York presenter Jonathan Cowap, Sunday's 7pm programme will feature a first half of the York Concert Band, who performed in Paris at the final stage of last summer's Tour de France; the 150-strong York Civic Youth Choir; the specially commissioned York Civic Orchestra, under the baton of Tom Marlow; and street entertainer Steve Bullen, alias gravity-defying ball juggler The Magic Ball Man.

Two familiar York buskers, multi-instrumentalist Leo James Conroy and singer-songwriter Rachel Croft, will link up as a duo. Leo, by the way, will be performing in the UK for the last time before he moves to the United States to pursue his musical career.

The senior members of the specially commissioned York Civic Youth Choir will close this half. The choir is drawn from such schools as Archbishop Holgate’s, Stamford Bridge Primary, Heworth CE Primary, St Aelred’s Primary, Lord Deramore’s Primary, Tadcaster Grammar School and Bootham School and will be singing Pharrell Williams's Happy and more besides under the leadership of York music teacher and lecturer Molly Newton.

After the interval, the Sam Johnson Big Band lead off the second half, followed by Archies Boys Aloud, a group of singers from Archbishop Holgate’s School. Two Reasons Why, winners of a competition run in association with The Press, will then take the wild card slot.

The duo of singer Lucy Williams, 19, and guitarist and songwriter Joe Baker, 24, were selected by a panel from video clips sent in by singer-songwriters, musical theatre performers, a pianist, a ladies’ choir, a juggler and a one-string, cigar-box guitarist.

Musical comedy performer Ish Herd and the aforementioned ukulele collective The Grand Old Uke Of York will play before a few words from Coun Gillies and the grand finale.

Tickets are still available at £14 for adults and £12 for concessions and children under 14 on 0844 854 2757 or at yorkbarbican.co.uk; proceeds will go to the Lord Mayor's two charities, York Against Cancer and York Teaching Hospital Charity.

"This concert is a wonderful showcase of the talent in York and surrounding areas," said Cllr Gillies. "The event is a testament to the many individuals and groups who have a real pride in their city and fortunately for us, a civic pride."