Jeremy Polmear and Diana Ambache are trekking 250 miles for Mozart and a Microscope. My wife Diana Ambache's orchestra, The Ambache Ensemble, is finishing after 24 years. Mozart was her inspiration for starting it, and we want to make a final homage to him, and also to raise money for the work of the neurosurgeon thanks to whom she is alive.

We are going to walk from Salzburg where Mozart was born to Vienna where he died. Its about 250 miles through the foothills of the Austrian Alps on a long-distence path, and will take four weeks in September.

Our initial plan was to raise £10,000 for a special teaching microscope. Dianas surgeon will use it in the New Skills lab at the Royal College of Surgeons where he is the neurosurgical tutor. We have sponsorship to cover our costs, so 100% of all donations will go to the equipment.

Thanks to peoples generosity, we have already reached this target! We would also like to buy some Pupil Reaction Instruments to be used in Intensive Care at The London Hospital. As we know only too well, problems can occur after neurosurgery, and these machines can spot that a patient is in trouble far sooner than a human can. They cost about £1,500 each.

Although we walk a lot, this is a more ambitious plan than any we've done before. We are looking forward to the challenge, and hope to raise a substantial sum to enhance neurosurgical knowledge, and also to help people after their operations.

Any contributions are most welcome. £10 would be much appreciated, £100 would be excellent!

You can send a cheque made out to Barts and The London Charity to us at 9 Beversbrook Road, London N19 4QG. Or you can donate online with a Credit or Debit card (there are Gift Aid tax rebate facilities there) at Mozart and the Microscope (fundraising).

We have started a blog of our progress at Mozart and the Microscope (blog).

Please support Symphonic Cycle - a pitch perfect plea!

Symphonic Cycle, the Royal Philharmonic's cycling posse, is cycling Lands End to John O'Groats, the 'Crescend-to-endo', this summer to help fund the Leonard Cheshire Disability music therapy sessions and creative workshops for disabled people in the UK.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Leonard Cheshire Disability have worked together for the last three years, raising funds to offer disabled people the chance for communication and self-expression through creative music workshops. Although many of the participants have never even picked up a musical instrument before, these workshops place an emphasis firmly on ability over disability. They promote inclusion and enjoyment, and with dramatic results - it's harmonious and heart-warming!

As musicians, education is an important part of our lives, so it means a lot to us to raise money to enable disabled people to enjoy music. Everyone in Symphonic Cycle is proud to be giving up their time to raise money in support of this fantastic organization and its musical activities. Please give whatever you can to help us raise money for Leonard Cheshire Disability. Thanks

Sara Johnson is taking part in a Japan Tsunami Appeal concert on the 3rd April 2011, 2pm, Gordon's School, Bagshot Road, Woking, GU24 9PT.

The event includes an afternoon with Classical Music, Auctions, Crafts Sale and lots more.

Admission £5 (adult), £3 (child)

Contact: Nao Maebayashi 07958 720305 or Tamaki Dickenson 07787 755894.

Sue Addison is taking part in the London Marathon 2007 in aid of Jessie's Fund.

Only a few days to go until one of the most amazing sporting and charity fund-raising events in the world, and I have been lucky enough to be given a place along with 35,000 other runners! And will I be the only one playing fanfares on the trombone...?

Training has been hard, painful and very time consuming, but also fun - highlighted by the Woburn 10k. The fear of being eaten by the lions keeps ya moving! There is a saying: 'Spring travels at walking pace' and it most certainly does. It is hard to believe it has been eight years since I walked from Land's End to John O' Groats, armed with trombone, treading the ground of beautiful Britain for three months and ' zig-zagging' up the national trails. Whilst listening to the wonderful sounds of spring, my trombone added some extra birdsong by imitating (a thousand times) the fanfares of the Lesser Spotted Splitwarbler.

Thanks to the generosity of many sponsors that venture raised £10,000. It was a life changing experience and I am sure the London Marathon will be too. I have to question my sanity about this latest challenge, thinking it might have been a better idea 30 years ago! I must be mad (correction: I am!) but at least I have the opportunity to do these crazy, fun things.

Many children like Jessie will never have the chance to achieve such goals. Jessie's Fund is a UK charity dedicated to helping seriously ill and disabled children by using music as a form of communication, and for therapy. We give children access to creative music-making and music therapy, working in hospices nationwide, and also in other settings, including hospitals, child development centres, pre-school groups, and schools for children with special needs.

Can you help me achieve my goal of £5,000 or more, which will enrich and bring joy to lives of desperately ill children? I would like to thank the many people that have sponsored me so far: - Members of the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Opera North, Gabrieli Consort and many others. I would also like to thank the Garrick Club for the pledge of a most generous donation.

Katy Tansey (wife of trombonist client Tom Lees), a hugely talented soprano and mother to Harry and Natasha, is sadly fighting a very rare and aggressive form of cancer. In addition to the excellent care that Katy is receiving at The Royal Marsden Hospital, she and Tom are attempting to raise the funds required to attend the residential courses run by the Bristol Cancer Care Centre, a complimentary healthcare centre that supports the more mainstream treatments. To raise these much needed funds, some close friends and colleagues have bared all in a calendar girls style photo shoot featuring their tastefully positioned period instruments.

The calendar costs £12.50 inc postage and packing, £10 of which will go directly to Katy Lees. Please click here if you would like to order a copy of the calendar and pay on-line by credit or debit card.

Please click here to contact Tom Hammond by email if you have any further questions.