Newmarket-based musicians and scientists from the University of Cambridge present a £1,327 cheque to the East Anglian Air Ambulance

A group of Newmarket-based musicians and scientists from the University of Cambridge got together to present a cheque for £1,327 to the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

The money was raised at a charity concert staged at All Saints’ Church, in Newmarket, in the autumn which was attended by an audience of more than 100 people.

The organiser of the event was All Saints’ organist Dr Cedric Ghevaert, who is senior lecturer in transfusion medicine and leads a research team at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute which sponsored the concert.

Among the performers were his daughters Naomi and Anouk and his wife Marloes, a professional singer, who performed the Jacques Brel song Amsterdam which was translated into English by David Bowie and became the B-side to his 1973 hit Sorrow.

Also taking part were organist Anne Page and Newmarket-based tenor Alessandro Cortello, who gives concerts both in the UK and internationally and founded Newmarket Music Box, a group which meets regularly in the town to talk about singing, music and opera.

Other performers were children from Stage Coach, Newmarket, with two numbers from the musical Aladdin and Newmarket Chamber Orchestra clarinetist Jane Roberts and oboeist Debbie Farrell.

Guests included three people from the East Anglian Air Ambulance charity, who explained that the service had to raise £13 million every year to keep their helicopters flying. Also there were scientists from Dr Ghevaert’s team in Cambridge who spoke about their work and demonstrated how stem cells can be used to repair bodies after trauma or to help the supply of blood.

Dr Ghevaert thanked sponsors Montaz, Waitrose and Eric Tennant Butchers who supplied food on the evening and everyone who supported the event.