Many people learn a musical instrument as a child, but all too often give up as they get older.

Musician James Packer is hoping to help people rekindle their love of music - or even start playing an instrument for the first time - with his new venture, Portway Music School.

Here, he tells us more...

"I've now been teaching for 17 years as a peripatetic music teacher. I've travelled across the county teaching at different schools, quite often miles apart from each other. On some days I used to teach in Frome in the morning and travel down to Minehead for the afternoon. 

"I never quite understood the need for travel, or particularly enjoyed the travel. Surely there was enough work in the surrounding area of Wells where I have lived all my life? The routine became normal, traveling to far out places. It became a thing I just did! It worked. 

"The pandemic hit and for everyone it allowed us all to reflect on our lives and was a good time to make changes. Although the pandemic was a major blow for everyone, I had to try and use it in a positive way. 

"Unfortunately, during Covid I was also diagnosed with Cancer. This also opened up a new way of thinking and attitude towards life and work. I didn't want to travel and I wanted to stay close to home near my wife and children. This is when the thought of basing myself mainly in Wells came to fruition. 

"I had already been teaching at Wells Blue for over ten years and Stoberry for five. This gave me a real insight into the musical community of wells. 

"I learnt that once students got to their GCSEs, they left and I never saw them again. I realised there weren't many places for adults to go after mainstream education to do music lessons...or certainly a place where it was easily accessible. I wanted a way of keeping these students for life but also to offer music to the wider community of Wells at an affordable rate, whether that's adults who have been playing for years, adults that want to start a new hobby, existing students and new students of any age. 

"Along with a desire to live after a life threatening illness, and discovering a need for more music in Wells and a want to stay closer to home in Wells, all this has spurred me along to create what is now Portway Music School. 

"Portway Music School came to life when Nigel Fraser, owner of Wells Contemporary Music Centre and Wells Rocks advertised for ideas of uses for the Portway Annexe which had just been bought by the council, and he was tasked with finding appropriate uses for the building. 

"I submitted my plans for Portway Music School, which he liked, and ideas developed over time to what the Portway Music School is now. 

"Portway Music School is proud to be homed at Portway Annexe and to provide lessons to anyone that would like them on a Saturday. We offer drums, piano, keyboard and violin and have two rooms in which we work in. The Portway Music School will continue to develop over time, offering more lessons and workshops, and the network the School has found its self in – through a community run by Nigel that shares similar agendas – has strengthened itself as an entity that will benefit everyone that is willing to let it benefit them. The school's network of people has helped me develop new ideas and create new collaborations with other musicians and organisations I haven't met before. This will result in plenty of musical activities that will be offered to people of Wells to either get involved with on a musical level, or enjoy watching and listening to other peoples' musical skills through concerts, lessons and workshops."