Alan Chesters, of Camper­down Road, Salcombe, writes:

I’m sorry to give people the sad news of the death this week of Ray Goudie. With his wife, Nancy, he led New Generation Music, who were able to send a young team/band to Kings­bridge at the beginning of 1997.

In the week that they spent here, their main event was at Fusion night club and had a focus on the plight of the street children in Brazil. This led to Fusion being used several times that year by forming links with other bands.

At the beginning of 1998, the events became monthly, under the name Spiritulized and that name has continued right up to the present day, having taken on new life by widening its links with the young people of the area.

In the early days of Spiritul­ized, and for several years afterwards, NGM provided young bands to make regular visits to Kingsbridge.

NGM continues to train young people in the performing arts year after year at their purpose-built premises at Thorn­bury, near Bristol.

Prior to forming NGM, Ray and Nancy were leaders of the band Heartbeat, who came to Kingsbridge leisure centre in the 1980s.

Ray has written/co-written two musicals. The second, The Prodigals, was premiered at the Edinburgh Festival and the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry.

There is hope that it will eventually tour venues.

In the meantime, NGM have been auditioning a new cast to perform Ray’s first musical, Luv Esther, which was premiered at the Colston Hall, Bristol.

Venues are invited for a new tour of the musical in the spring of 2017.

If anyone in the area can consider offering a venue, hall/college theatre/church, please contact me and we can work together to make it happen, telephone 01548 843241.