A foot health practitioner has taken a major step forward by setting up a new therapy clinic – creating six jobs in the process.
The Mill Clinic was established by father-of-one Michael Calvert, 29, at the popular Tweedmill shopping outlet near St Asaph.
It’s a real family affair because the business also employs his wife, his sister and his mother.
According to Michael, the timing of their arrival was ideal because a £4.5 million expansion at Tweedmill was nearing completion.
As a result, shop floor space was being doubled to 50,000 sq ft, with the aim of increasing the annual footfall to one million shoppers.
Michael and his family were congratulated by Vale of Clwyd MP Chris Ruane who officially opened the clinic which offers a range of therapies including foot care, sports therapy, acupuncture, massages, reflexology and visualisation or using the power of imagination to help relieve symptoms and manage problems.
Chris said: “I was delighted to be given the opportunity to officially open the Mill Clinic.
“The clinic is valuable asset to the Vale of Clwyd in general and Tweedmill in particular.
“It’s a nice, family-run business established by young, energetic and enterprising people who have created a fantastic facility.
“The location is perfect because Tweedmill is a honeypot that currently attracts around 650,000 visitors a year.
“The Mill Clinic is not only providing some great services but creating employment as well.”
Michael was extremely grateful to the MP for taking time out of his busy schedule to do the honours at the official opening which marked the beginning of an “exciting new chapter” for him.
After a couple of jobs in the building industry which he hated, Michael became a social care support worker.
It was during this period that he saw the opportunity to set up a business providing foot care three years ago.
He explained: “The chiropodist would come and charge people with learning difficulties the full-price for some very simple foot care.
“I saw the chance to provide a more reasonably priced so I established a mobile business called North Wales Foot Care which is still going strong.
“I did an Open University course and gained a diploma to qualify as a Foot Health Practitioner.
“As the mobile business got busier, I recruited my mother Rose who also gained the necessary qualifications.
“The expansion of Tweedmill meant there was the opportunity to expand the business and set up a clinic offering a whole range of other therapies.
“Tweedmill is a really happening place at the moment and I must say they have been extremely helpful to us.
“There is a really excellent footfall and the people who come here are exactly the right target group for us.
“Being here is better than any high street because it’s got free parking and a bus stop. It’s spot on.”
The official opening was also a big day for receptionist Deborah Marks, 24, from Kinmel Bay.
Getting the job at the Mill Clinic helped her overcome the heartbreak of losing her job as a receptionist at Rhyl Football Club when her contract was not renewed.
She said: “I felt gutted so I was ecstatic when I go the job here. Everyone is really nice and have accepted me as one of their own.
“Things are going really well. I love it. I really do love it.”
