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www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
New generation at the wheel<br />
There is anew generationin<br />
charge of running<strong>Ashburton</strong><br />
business success story Ashford<br />
Handicrafts.<br />
James Ashford and his<br />
partner David Lester have<br />
taken over ownership of the<br />
spinning, weaving andtextile<br />
craft businessfrom James’<br />
parents Richardand Elizabeth<br />
Ashford.<br />
Ashford Handicraftswas<br />
founded by Richard’s father<br />
Walterin1934and started<br />
producing spinning wheels six<br />
years later.<br />
Thecompany has sold over<br />
850,000 spinning wheels and<br />
looms over the years and uses<br />
New Zealand silver beech<br />
sourced from sustainable<br />
managed forests.<br />
Ashfords also has a1200m2<br />
woollenmill in Milton, which<br />
employs three staffand<br />
producesaround 30 tonnes of<br />
merinoand corriedale wool<br />
each year.<br />
Richard Ashford said it was<br />
the endofanera for himand<br />
his wife, but both would<br />
continueasdirectors.<br />
Homecraftand knitting had<br />
seen astrong resurgence in<br />
recent months and thefuture<br />
looked bright.<br />
Mr Ashford said he had<br />
learnt thebusiness from his<br />
father andhad been passingon<br />
that knowledgetothe new<br />
ownersfor anumber of<br />
In front of Mill House are Richard and Elizabeth Ashford and new owners James Ashford and David<br />
Lester.<br />
months.<br />
His son, asoftware engineer<br />
and his partner, an accountant,<br />
had workedinNew York, but<br />
both were enjoying the<br />
business and change of<br />
lifestyle in <strong>Ashburton</strong>.<br />
Ashfordswas abouthigh<br />
quality, affordable products<br />
and excellent service and<br />
support, he said.<br />
TheAshford factory off West<br />
Street is 3000m2 and the<br />
business employs 40 people.<br />
Thefamily also owns the<br />
adjacent Mill House andcraft<br />
village.<br />
Mill House,whichincludes a<br />
large craft shop and new cafe<br />
called Mill House Kitchen, is<br />
set to reopen soon after<br />
extensive restrengthening<br />
work. Internal and external<br />
wall bracing has been<br />
installed, new foundations laid<br />
and the space refitted.<br />
Aheritage grant from the<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong>District Council<br />
($7000)and Heritage EQUIP<br />
funding ($30,000) has helped<br />
partfund workonthe historic<br />
property that dates back to<br />
1912.<br />
NEWS<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong> <strong>Courier</strong>, <strong>August</strong> <strong>13</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />
Big Grin<br />
opening<br />
17<br />
Big GrinOrthodontists will<br />
openits own premisesin<br />
Harrison Streetnext week<br />
offering specialist orthodontic<br />
caretoclients. There are also<br />
plans to extendinto school<br />
dentaltherapy and offeroral<br />
hygiene services for people of<br />
all ages.<br />
Orthodontist Dr Joseph<br />
Petelo hasbeen offering followup<br />
care to clients regularly and<br />
travelling,with ateam,from<br />
Christchurch to arental space<br />
inBurnett Street.<br />
The new premises,<br />
conveniently closeto<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong> College,will see the<br />
team continueto offer<br />
orthodontic checkupsbut with<br />
along term plan to extendinto<br />
school dental therapy. ‘‘This is<br />
to offer the under18(year olds)<br />
freedental treatment for Year 9<br />
–18years (this is ourpassion<br />
project) there is anumber of<br />
childrenNZwide thatare not<br />
optimizingthe free dental<br />
checkups.’’<br />
They want to catchunder18’s<br />
not being seen by other dentists<br />
in<strong>Ashburton</strong>, orthe community<br />
dentalvan, which did not visit<br />
high schools.<br />
The enrolment rate was63<br />
per centbut there was ‘‘no<br />
reason why <strong>Ashburton</strong> should<br />
not have 100per cent of the<br />
childrenbeingseenunder the<br />
free school dental scheme’’.<br />
Managerexits<br />
with councilpraise<br />
LINDA.CLARKE<br />
@ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
The mayorthat hired EA<br />
Networks Centre boss Steve<br />
Prescottbid him farewell last<br />
weekand thanked him for ajob<br />
well done.<br />
Angus McKaywas mayor<br />
whenthe pool and stadium<br />
complex openedfive yearsago,<br />
with Mr Prescott at the helm.<br />
He is leavingthismonth andMr<br />
McKay, now adistrict<br />
councillor,said Mr Prescott<br />
had tamed ‘‘a beast’’ by<br />
implementing goodsystems<br />
and keepingthe facilityunder<br />
financial control.<br />
Cr McKay said the facility<br />
was one of council's’s most<br />
successfulprojects and Mr<br />
Prescott’s guidance,effort and<br />
drivehadbeenvital.<br />
Thesearch for his<br />
replacement is under way and<br />
applications closed yesterday.<br />
Projectsofthe future include<br />
asoftware replacement to<br />
improve theway the centre<br />
operated,communicated and<br />
interacted withits customers,<br />
and the development of adisc<br />
golf course on land near the<br />
centre.<br />
Thestadium had been back to<br />
full operationpost lockdown<br />
and learntoswim classes had<br />
beenback to full capacity with<br />
793 enrolments this term.<br />
Gym andfitnessgroup<br />
numbers are about95per cent<br />
of prelockdown numbers. The<br />
gym is preparing to roll out a<br />
virtualcycling programmefrom<br />
Les Mills called ‘‘the trip’’;<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong> will be the first<br />
location inthe South Island.<br />
Mr Prescottsaid anumber of<br />
Manager Steve Prescott leaves<br />
the EA Networks Centre this<br />
month.<br />
newstaff from an older<br />
demographic werecomingon<br />
boardinthe aquatics area after<br />
an earlier struggle to find<br />
workers.<br />
‘‘You will seeamuch more<br />
stable workforce going<br />
forward,’’ he told councillors in<br />
his final report.<br />
He said the centre was one of<br />
the bestfacilitieshehad been<br />
involvedwith over his working<br />
life.The addition of disc or<br />
frisbee golf wouldbeagooduse<br />
for its outdoorspace.<br />
THE <strong>2020</strong> GENERAL ELECTION<br />
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