A SMALL business has enlisted a 16-year-old to help design its new advertising leaflet.

In 1971, Jennifer and Mick White started White Rose Candles and several years later bought a rundown water mill at Wensley. With cheap Chinese imports affecting their business, shrewd marketing, new designs and sticking to old-fashioned principles paid off – after 48 years they are still in business.

Three years ago, Mr and Mrs White went into partnership with their valued employee Jane Hammond and handed over the day-to-day running of the business to her. Sandra Hewitt has now also joined the partnership, which the two women now run together.

The new management at the firm has now taken the radical stop of redesigning their advertising leaflet, which had been left relatively unchanged for more years than they care to remember.

In doing this, they enlisted the help of 16-year-old Adam Lobely, who is a student from the Wensleydale School. Adam is lucky to have a business mentor in professional photographer Joanne Coates.This led to the chance to take the necessary photographs needed for White Rose’s new fold-out leaflet. In this, he was helped by Mr Digby Angus, also a photographer.

The factory at Wensley is particularly popular with tourists who can watch the various processes involved in the manufacture of candles including traditional dipping techniques and casting methods.

Ms Hewitt said: “We are really pleased with Adam’s work, it is so nice to have a young person work with us.

“Jane and I are always happy to chance things; we have several other ideas in the pipeline. Jane tends to select the perfumes and I decorate the candles.”