CHESHIRE band The Beathovens have been together for seven years, playing in clubs and at festivals all over the country.
The band is drawn from members of the Wirral Autistic Society, thought to be the only British music group made up of people with autism.
But this is no token band - they are taken seriously - and have appeared on the same bill as Bob Geldof and performed on BBC Radio 4.
The group will be playing all original material at the National Autistic Society's Day for Autism in Leicester Square, London, on September 25.
The awareness-raising event will be opened by actress and NAS President Jane Asher and will feature events from autistic artists and craftsmen, as well as stalls from autism-specific organisations. The band is encouraged by music tutor Jamie Davies, who sings and plays guitar.
'People with autism can often find it difficult to interact comfortably with other people,' he explains.
'Through their music this gulf is effectively bridged and their combined talents produce a powerful and very real means of expression and interaction.'
The talented band hopes to raise around £12,000 to buy recording equipment.
Autism is thought to touch the lives of about 535,000 families in the UK today. The lifelong developmental disability has no cure.
The Wirral Autistic Society, a registered charity based in Bromborough, was formed in 1968 by a group of parents and friends of autistic children, concerned at the dearth of facilities for their children after the age of 19. The society has grown to provide services for over 100 adults with autism with a 250-strong staff.
Contact point Anyone interested in donating or getting involved in fundraising can contact Claudia Tanner, Fundraising Officer on 0151 334 7510.
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