Eleonora Spanudakis who is this year’s Haymon-Gorlov Prize winner! The award goes to the best student on the Masters Degree in Clinical Neuroscience at the Institute of Neurology. The National Brain Appeal and Alison Gorlov jointly fund this as a way to encourage and reward new talent in such an important field of work. Well deserved!

We have two fantastic concerts for you to make these dark evenings a little brighter – both raising funds for The National Brain Appeal. Whether you are a sci-fi fan or a classical music buff, we’re sure we have something to suit.

On Saturday 14 November at 7.30pm, Sci-Fi Bromley presents the ‘Big Band Concert’ − an evening spectacular featuring some of the biggest sound tracks from Star Wars, Dr Who, Thunderbirds, and many more. Dr Who villain Colony Sarff will also be narrating The War of The Worlds. Replica props and videos will be on display adding to the magic of the event. Tickets are £18, £5 for under-12s.

On Monday 16 November, our classical music event is taking place in the unique setting of Temple Church, London. Usually the domain of barristers, the Middle Temple has opened its doors to supporters for a fundraising concert performed by the Bar Choral Society. The programme includes Vivaldi’s Gloria as well as pieces by Handel, Monteverdi and Bach. The Bar Choral Society choir will be led by their Music Director and Conductor, Greg Morris, and joined by soloists Grace Davidson Soprano, William Towers Countertenor, and by the Temple Players. Prices range from £5-£25, and include a drinks reception after the event. Get your tickets today!

Next year you could be joining The National Brain Appeal on a challenging trek through the iconic Grand Canyon! One of the natural wonders of the world, the gorge is so vast, it’s impossible to visualise the immensity of this incredible landscape without seeing it for yourself.

Taking place between 8-15 October 2016, the challenge will take you on a five-day adventure into the heart of the Grand Canyon at Havasu Canyon, where you’ll explore the incredible landscape, camp under the stars, and learn from your hosts, the Havasu ‘Baaja’ Native American Tribe. And, for those of you who have always wanted to visit Las Vegas, the final night will be spent on the strip before flying home.

Sign up to join this challenging trek and we guarantee that you’ll come home with a huge sense of accomplishment!

Do you want to test your general knowledge against the rest of the world?! You can do just that and raise money for a good cause by joining up to The Simultaneous Global Virtual Quiz, in aid of one of our funds, Rare Dementia Support. It’s kicking off on Saturday 14 November 2015 at 8pm GMT. Last year, 20 teams from across the UK (and one from Switzerland!) competed for the honour of winning. This year they are hoping to raise even more, so why not put together a crack team, invite your friends around, switch on your laptop, tablet or computer and enjoy a fun night of fundraising. To register, simply drop the organisers an email.

For more events, personal stories and how you can get involved, please visit nationalbrainappeal.org, or follow us on Twitter @brainappeal and Facebook at fb/TheNationalBrainAppeal

Theresa, Marcelle, Brooke, Cara, Leigh and Tina