Ashburton Courier: October 03, 2019

Backers flock to
RDA milestone
Supporters flocked on
Saturday to mark 45 years
of Riding For the Disabled
(RDA) in Mid Canterbury.
Held at the facility’s
complex off Leeston
Street, the celebration
thanked those involved
over the years and also
paraded the six horses
that are used to provide
therapy to children with a
disability or other therapeutic
need.
As well as building confidence,
close contact
with horses is also seen as
helping to develop and
improve muscle tone, balance,
co­ordination, flexibility,
fitness and independence.
Speaking at the event,
Mid Canterbury RDA
president Brian Early said
the RDA had started life
near the scout den in
Tinwald, before a move
to Ashburton Racecourse.
The facility had been
on its eight acres of freehold
land for anumber of
years.
Mr Early said the community
and funders had
been generous with support
over 45 years.
He said volunteers
were the backbone of the
operation and two of
them, Tony Quaid and
Sue Kent, had been with
Mid Canterbury RDA
from the start.
Another, Maxine Hooper,
was just ayear short
of that and had been a
volunteer for 44 years.
Other speakers at the
celebration praised the
facility and its volunteers.
Rangitata MP Andrew
Falloon said horses provided
proven therapy to
help people with a disability.
Ashburton mayor
Donna Favel said RDA
was a‘‘wonderful service’’
and invaluable for the
children who used it.
Hampstead School
principal Peter Melrose
said anumber of children
at his school had used the
facility over the years and
working with horses and
volunteers had given
them ‘‘energy, excitement
and motivation’’.
Students involved look
forward to coming to the
RDA and ‘‘it was something
special in their
lives’’, he said.
More volunteers are
needed to lend ahand at
the RDA, which is currently
used by 38 children
each week.
Prospective volunteers
can check out the facilities
on Tuesdays or
Thursdays between 9am
and noon.
Photo: RDA volunteer
Maxine Hooper, who has
clocked up 44 years of
service, introduced each
of the facility’s six horses
on Saturday.
Happy Courier winners
PET
WEEK
IT’S
BACK
NEW
PRODUCT
Cadbury Chocolate
Block 150-190g
$
2 99
ea
V Energy
500ml Can Range
Griffin’s MallowPuffs,
Squiggles or Chit Chat
200-250g
$
2 89 $
2 99 ea
ea
250g$
3
Pams Fresh Asparagus
Product of New Zealand
NEW
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$
3 99
99 ea
HAPPY WINNERS: Congratulations to Ben Leary and Tasha Morris, winners
of The Courier’s recent Shop, Win and Relax competition. Ben and Tasha
won afamily getaway to Hanmer plus $1000 of shopping vouchers.They are
with Courier sales manager Jann Thompson.
Holiday programme
The St David’s holiday
programme for children
aged five to 12 runs
from October 8 to 10,
and from 9.30am to
noon.
Agold coin donation is
sought and no booking
needed.
St Davids is on Allens
Road and can be reached
at 308­5174.
Market is back
The first official Ashburton
District Farmers’
Market of the new
season was held on Saturday,
with anumber of
stallholders setting up
shop for the morning. The
popular market isset up in
the West Street car park
and runs from 9am until
12.30pm every Saturday
until April.
Wood
classes
Places are available for
evening woodwork classes
starting at Ashburton College
on Tuesday, October
15.
The classes run for eight
weeks, from 7pm to 9pm.
Term fees are $180.
New members are welcome
and can contact
tutor Chris Thompson at
chris@thompsonwoodworking.nz.
PET
WEEK
PurinaFancy Feast
85g Range
ANY
5FOR
5
00
Fresh NZ Quality
MarkPrime Beef Mince
www.foursquare.co.nz
$
11 99
1X
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P A C K
STORE
kg
SEEINSTORE
FORDETAILS
facebook.com/FourSquareNZ
Specials available South Island only from Monday 30thSeptember until Sunday6th
October 2019orwhile stockslast. Wine and beer availableatstoreswithanoff
licence.Wine and beerpurchasesrestrictedtopersonsaged18years old and over.
PER