Ashburton Courier: August 13, 2020

NEWS
22 Ashburton Courier, August 13, 2020
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Driving scheme helps Ludy
to gain her independence
MICK.JENSEN
@ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Ludy Cabana never really
needed to drive in her
homeland of thePhilippines,
nor in Dubai whereshe worked
for awhile, but whenshe came
to NewZealand, transport
becamemore of an issue.
She movedherethree years
ago andsettled in Hindswith
her Kiwi partner.
At firstshe worked on afarm,
but thenmoved into aretailjob
in Ashburton.
Because daily transport to
and from homeand work wasa
problem,she opted to stay in
town duringthe week.
In April 2018 Ludy signed up
for the Mid Canterbury Rural
Drivers Licensing Scheme and
began ajourney that hasgiven
here independence.
The schemeisopen to
newcomers in ruralMid
Canterburyand supports
driversasthey progress from
learners, to restricted and full
licences.
Ludy was in the classroom
and studied theroad code over
nine weekstoget her learners.
She passedher restricted at
the first attempt and will take
the test for her full licencevery
soon.
‘‘I’d never driven before I
NEXTSATURDAY
TWOSHOWSIN ONE
ELVIS
DnD is aregular act on the club
circuit, playing venues across the
country.The live five piece band is
renowned for delivering visual shows
with great costumes, choreography
and professional sound and
lighting production.
came to New Zealandand was
alwaysnervousabout starting.
‘‘But through the rural
drivingscheme I’ve built up my
confidence, practised my
drivingand I’m no longer
reliant on other people.’’
Ludy said she was very
grateful to her driver mentor,
ChrisAnderson, who had
taught her howtodrive.
She had driven her partner’s
campervan to gain more
practical driving experience,
butnow had her own vehicle.
‘‘I’m lookingforward to
getting my full licence and
then I’ll be able to drive
friends who are non­drivers
because Iknow how that feels.
‘‘I have abirthday next
monthand thepresent I’dlove
most is news that Ihave passed
my full licence.’’
Ludy said thedriving
support schemehad enabled
herasanewcomer to make
new friendships and
connections in thedistrict.
Another Mid Canterbury
Rural Drivers Licensing
Schemecourse starts on
September 1. The course is
free for those fillingthe
criteria.Toregister contact
Wendy Hewitt on 027 6113301
or at wendy@saferashburton.
org.nz.
BA
Pre-sale tickets $25 on sale now
at the club office and bottlestore.
Door sales $30. Doors open at 7pm.
Don't miss your chance to catch
this outstanding showband.
8PM SATURDAY 22 AUGUST 2020
ASHBURTON CLUB &MSA
266Havelock Street, Ashburton.Phone 03 308 7149
Presented by DnD Showband www.dndshowband.com fb/dndshowband
BA
Ludy Cabana (right )with Mid Canterbury Rural Drivers Licensing
Scheme co­ordinator Wendy Hewitt.
Hundreds of firearm licence holders took to the streets of
Ashburton on Saturday.
Hundreds gather at
Ashburton gunrally
Hundreds of firearms
licenceholdersrallied in
Ashburtonlastweekend
overconcernsgovernment
wasn’tlisteningtothe
people and was still
forgingahead with
registrationof individual
firearms.
Law­abiding licence
holdersconsider it a
punishment.
The rally, which made
national news, called on
government to target
criminals not licensed gun
owners and was away to
be “quietlyturningupthe
volume, until we are
properly heard”, said one
organiser. Thegroup
includedpeople fromthe
greater Canterbury
district as wellasCouncil
of Licensed Firearms
Ownersspokesperson and
now ACTcandidate for
Rongotai NicoleMcKee.
Mid Canterbury
spokesman Bob McDonald
said newlaws,rushed into
effectafterChristchurch’s
mosque killings over a
year ago,required all
firearmstoberegistered
but there waspotential for
mistakes to happen when
recording longand
complex serial numbers of
guns.
It would make the
tracking of firearms
useless,hesaid.
The group gathered in
unity at the Ashburton
RSA beforemarching
along East Street chanting
for fairand reasonable
gun legislation.
Their placardsread
‘‘targetcriminals notus’’
and ‘‘hunters: not
criminals’’.
Theythen doubledback
along West Street before
stopping opposite the
AshburtonArt Gallery and
HeritageCentre.
IN BRIEF
NEW ECANBOSS
Dr StefanieRixecker has been
appointed theorganisation’s new
chief executive.
She hasbeenthe actingchief
executivesince the departure of Bill
Bayfieldleftearlier this year.
She has been the directorof
science since 2016and hasheld
more than adozengovernance
roles, in education,primary
industry andmore. Shealsoholds
threedegrees in PhD (Public Policy
&Public Administration), MA
(Political Science), andBA
(Political Science).
Dr Rixeckerwill take overher
newrole from August 17.
BILLYBUSH
Former AllBlack and Canterbury
player BillyBush is the keynote
speakeratCollegiate Rugby Club
on August 28.The eventincludesa
questionand answersession with
thepanel including local former All
BlackJockRossand Crusaders
board member Grant Jarrold. A
Crusaders jersey,signed by the
current squad,will be auctioned off
on the night.The socialevening is
beingheld as part of the25-year
reunionofthe Collegiate seniors
Watters Cupwinningteam. Tickets
costing$15 andare available from
PropertyBrokers, Smith &Church,
Redmonds, Style Footwear and the
rugby club.
PHOTOWORKSHOP
MidCanterbury TimeBank is
running aworkshop on Sunday to
help people develop and expand
their photography skills.
Part of the Learning Exchange
programme, thepractical session
runs from1pm until3pm andwill
offertipsonhowtoget the best
results fromphotography.
Advicewillbeoffered by
experiencedphotographerSue
Yearbury andafterashort
introduction at Ashburton Art
Gallery, participantswill headinto
theAshburtonDomain to puttheory
intopractice.
TimeBankmemberscan pay for
the course with Time Credits, while
the cost to non-members is$20.
Peoplecan registervia the
Eventbritewebsite.
INTERACTIVE MAP
Wanttosee which roads and
footpaths theAshburton District
Council hasplanned forreseal or
repair? Or roading work
completed? The informationis now
available online,through council’s
website.Aninteractive map
createdbystaff letspeople filter
what they wanttolookfor,like
footpaths or road renewals,then
clickonicons displayed for
information. The map can be
expanded to show work or road
closures on national highways. The
local information willbeupdated
regularly.
NEW DAIRY NZ
LEADER
Waikatofarmer and
businesswoman Melissa Slattery,
who farms near of Te Aroha,isthe
newchairofDairyNZ’s Dairy
Environment Leaders (DEL)
programme.She is an associate
withalocal chartered accountant
firm, andisaformer regional leader
for both the Canterbury/North
Otago DairyIndustryAwardsand
theNorth Canterbury Rural
Business Network.
She will joinover 300DEL
leaders to foster kaitiakitanga and
support farmers to implement onfarmand
catchmentscale change
to reduce theirenvironmental
footprint.