In August 1995 Clarence Adoo, a marvelous and widely respected musician, was involved in a tragic accident that left him paralysed from the neck downward. At the time of his accident Clarence was a member of the Northern Sinfonia , their No.2 trumpet, and deeply involved in the Northern Sinfonia's education programme. Clarence has also worked regularly with the Bournemouth Sinfonietta and freelanced in a variety of West End Shows.

Visiting Clarence was, for me, an inspiring, even awe-inspiring, experience. For most people an accident like this would have left them in a state of utter despair - but Clarence is made of tougher stuff. He sees his accident as just one of those things that happen in life, and his willingness to come to terms with such debilitating injuries impresses all who visit him. Clarence's mind is focused on the future and to finding ways of maintaining the rich diversity of experiences that have been so important to his life to-date.

At the moment Clarence is at the:

To help Clarence make his life as fulfilling as possible a lot of money has to be raised - and very little of that money is coming from his car insurance!

"As you might guess, when something likes this happens to you it's totally unexpected, and so it has totally unexpected results. In Morgenstern's Newsletter I said that I am unable to make an injury claim from my car insurance because, despite the damage to my spinal cord which means I no longer have the use my limbs, none of my limbs were lost in the accident! so my injuries were not covered by the wording in my car insurance - and this was with one of the major insurance companies!!" I am quoting from a recent letter Clarence wrote to the hundreds of people who have written and visited him in hospital.

Clarence is one of those people who raises the spirits of all who have the privilege of knowing him. As Bob Cator, from the Bournemouth Sinfonietta, said when we first spoke about Clarence's accident,

"Clarence has always been an enormously popular member of the band. His kindness and great sense of humour have always rubbed off on those around him and we all think of him as a great character. All who visit Clarence in Sheffield speak of his resilience and resolve to get back into the business again, and all of us in Bournemouth wish him success for the future."

Donations to Clarence should be made payable to: The Clarence Adoo Trust Fund c/o Nigel Hiscock, 4 Doncella Close, Chafford Hundred, Essex, RM16 6HB, Tel: 01375 481114, www.clarence.org.uk