KING S School teacher James Rees – one of The Extreme Cellists who have raised more than £10,000 for good causes over the past five years – plan their biggest challenge to date. In July, the group will attempt the Four Peaks Challenge. Their aim in climb

KING'S School teacher James Rees - one of The Extreme Cellists who have raised more than £10,000 for good causes over the past five years - plan their biggest challenge to date.

In July, the group will attempt the Four Peaks Challenge. Their aim in climbing and performing concerts from the summits of Ben Nevis, Scarfell Pike, Snowdon and Carantouhill to raise £10,000 for ASPIRE, a charity for people with spinal related injuries and mountain rescue.

In 2006, on their Cathedral Roof Tour, they played on the roofs of all 42 Anglican cathedrals in England in the space of 12 days.

James, who joined King's religious studies department last September, says Ely stole his heart as he played his cello, looking down on the city from the roof of the cathedral. Now he and his wife Zoe can see the cathedral every day from their Ely home.

"Moving to East Anglia has presented me with one big challenge - there are no hills to climb with my cello on my back," said James. "Cherry Hill, next to the King's School, is the best there is and at least I have a wonderful view of the cathedral to inspire me as I plod up and down!"

James was born and bred in Sheffield and has been playing cello since the age of eight. He studied at St John's College, Durham, where he subsequently gained an MA in Theology. He and the other Extreme Cellists, statistician Jeremy Dawson and Clare Wallace who teaches German, are all friends from Sheffield.

INFO: Anyone interested in sponsorship opportunities can find out more by contacting James directly at james.rees@dunelm.org.uk or logging on to www.extreme-cello.com