A music college is appealing for funds and volunteers to help continue practical education for the arts in Ashford.

Music Hub Plus based in Bank Street in the town centre is a college for music-business and performance courses.

The not-for-profit organisation recently lost its sub-contract funding with Canterbury College after the latter merged with East Kent College and made cutbacks.

Founder Kate Holton said: “At the moment, we’re in a position where we don’t have a sub-contract, so we don’t actually have any formal funding for our students. We’re kind of relying at the moment on small bids that have come in and the goodwill of our staff.

"Obviously, that’s not a great situation to be in. We’re hoping we can pick something up in the next couple of weeks so we can continue with the work.”

The college, which launched in 2015 and previously won National Lottery support, also helps students who don’t already have GCSE C grades in English and Maths or functional-skills qualifications. It helps with careers advice and work experience.

Ms Holton added: “We’re hoping that we can actually get information out there to other parents and other young people so they have a point of contact in the same way that you would do with any other career.”

The team are setting up a fundraising campaign to appeal for community help.

Ms Holton explained: “We want people to really feel a part of it. We can get some new equipment, do a few more activities with the students, and develop some of our services as well.”

The college also houses The Attic, a live music venue with a licensed bar that opened in July, and where events are held on a regular basis.

Those who donate will be invited to a special event at the venue. The college is also looking for practical voluntary help in all shapes and forms.

Adrian Collis, PR for Music Hub Plus, said: “Apart from looking at more bid writing and lottery funding, we really want to try and partner with local businesses and local authorities that may want to help us out, donate or provide services for us to help us build this even more and have apprenticeship schemes running with other partners. It’s just unique.

“The college gives youngsters the opportunity to do things that they may not have otherwise. It stops them falling down the cracks, the ones that may perhaps not have gone on to further education in universities but can see the way forward here with a more practical design course and want to work in the music industry.”

Mr Collis is also a radio presenter, runs an independent record label – Thoroughbred Music – and mentors students based on his practical experience. He continued: “Places like this are where youngsters can cut their teeth and play in a proper environment, a proper audience, perhaps support slightly bigger names.

“In Ashford, I think there’s probably not so much of that as there is in other places. So there’s an opportunity to develop that further here I think.”

Emma Plummer, 29, an event promoter who also works as a volunteer at Music Hub Plus, said: “Promotion is a dying art, and I know a lot of promoters who will tell you the best way to learn is from another promoter.

"I’m offering the opportunity to learn from all my mistakes and learn all the good stuff in a venue where they can start from stratch and actually put on their own events. This place is an amazing opportunity for young people.”

When you speak to the small number of students aged 18 to 25 at Music Hub Plus, it is clear they are passionate about what they learn at the college.

Jack Beavan, 17, said: “I’ve always been interested in music but I never really knew the ins and outs. Here, I’ve got the chance to make my own music and events, and I’m being taught the skills how to do that, which I’m excited about.”

Verity Rust, 24, said: “I went to university before to study music and I didn’t learn half of the things that I’ve learnt here because there we were just sort of performing.

"Here, we’re learning all the different various careers within the music industry. We’re learning a bit of everything. It’s a community here and I feel like there isn’t really anything else that offers a similar sort of thing.”

Billy Dudie, 25, said: “I’ve never really been interested in music. I’ve grown up wanting to be a teacher. I was sent on a course here a couple of months ago to make my own music and understand promotion, and I loved it. The atmosphere here was perfect. There’s a lot of transferable skills that can come from this.”

Theodore Weatherill, 19, said: “We get to learn how to plan and promote events. It gives you a good foot in I find. They really want to do something here. I’d like to be able to give back eventually.”

For more information, visit musichubplus.co.uk or search Music Hub Kent on Facebook. To donate, click here.