Adult community education tutors are trying to keep operating in Tauranga after having their government funding axed last year.
Glen Crowther, a former high school ACE tutor, is trying to keep ACE going in Tauranga and has invested the last of the region's ACE money into building a website: www.acewesternbay.org.nz

Glen Crowther
The high school based classes were eradicated by Minister of Finance Bill English in last year's budget in a move that demolished generations of community participation in ACE.
'At the moment there is nothing much up, but over the next few days and weeks we will have a little bit more information,” says Glen.
The intention is for the website to become the point of contact for tutors and pupils, to allow ACE to continue.
'I don't think the reality has hit home yet, with no schools in the Western Bay of Plenty offering community education classes this year,” says Glen.
One of the strengths of the former system was that tutors only needed to focus on their classes.
'Tutors had no marketing decisions, they didn't have to consider venue costs or photocopying. It was not just in terms of money but in terms of time.
'They would just turn up for each class and get paid for it, and there were no risks as an individual tutor if nobody turned up.”
Now a tutor has to hire a venue, market his class, and if nobody signs up for the course before it begins, the tutor is out of pocket for the venue.
The uncertain future facing ACE tutors divides them into three groups, says Glen.
'Some will try and set up classes by themselves.”
Another group will walk away. He believes the larger third group is of tutors who want to continue, but don't know how to go about it.
'What we have done is comprise a list of venues and classes around town.”
For the public, Glen's hoping the website will provide click through links for classes and venues. A number of organisations that are involved in community education to some degree have been approached and have offered support, with the BOP Polytechnic providing some venues.