Academy ready for expansion
Giving kids confidence while at the same time gaining confidence are the keys to success for a Cambridge couple.
Ray Nelson and his wife Maxine have been instrumental in making a difference by moving young people from the computer keyboard, to a musical keyboard, through their Cambridge company, Keys 2 Success Academy.
And it’s because of this success they now have the confidence themselves to expand their business.
In November the issues relating to dual venues will be resolved with the academy moving to new premises formerly occupied by The Big Backyard.
‘‘This will now allow us to have all of our facilities under the same roof, and we will even be able to hold our successful holiday programmes there,’’ said Nelson.
The Nelsons hope their philosophy of giving everyone the opportunity to perform will translate to the community giving them support.
‘‘We have the opportunity to make this building a show place for talent but in order to do this we require some additional funding and are asking for assistance from the wider community, as we just cannot do it all on our own.’’
The options for the building lends itself to an expansion of some of its programmes to include an art studio for the future as well as broadening the use of the facilities ‘‘to just a place where local talent can be heard’’, said Nelson.
But it’s the individuals Ray Nelson is helping one-on-one with his music classes and dance lessons.
‘‘We have seen children grow in confidence and stature as they learn the skills to play keyboard or guitar,’’ said Nelson.
And this is echoed by parents whose children lacked confidence but since learning music they have changed.
But learning to play an instrument is not just for the young as the age spans across the generations among the 200 students enrolled at the academy.
Police have arrested a 24-yearold man who allegedly broke into the Te Awamutu Police Station and stole uniforms, weapons and other equipment.
The man has been charged with five counts of burglary, laid in relation to a spate of burglaries and thefts in the Te Awamutu area, including the police station break-in on Tuesday night. He also faces four charges of unlawfully interfering with a motor vehicle. The man has been remanded in custody and will appear at the Hamilton District Court on September 30.
Following his arrest on Thursday, police went on to search homes in Te Awamutu and Hamilton and, as a result, a 22-year-old woman was arrested and charged with receiving stolen goods. Most of the stolen items taken in the burglary,
Cambridge residents are no strangers to an increase in crime since the withdrawal of permanent 24/7 policing and have petitioned police and the Government to increase staffing.
Petition organiser Susie Fez said the burglary was ‘‘unbelievable’’ and it shows that thieves do not discriminate with who they target.