Brave the Shave team at the Springfield Hotel, head chef Rob Hill, chef de partie Chris Bacon, breakfast chef Tracy Griffiths and restaurant manager Kim Morton.

• STAFF at a Flintshire hotel are set to take on a hair-raising challenge for charity.

Next month, four members of the team at Springfield Hotel, in Pentre Halkyn, will be taking on Brave the Shave, for Macmillan Cancer.

So far, head chef Rob Hill, chef de partie Chris Bacon, breakfast chef Tracy Griffiths and restaurant manager Kim Morton - have raised more than £600 in sponsorship. On the morning, the hotel will also be hosting a coffee morning and raffle.

Hotel sales director Gynette Janney said: "We have a local hairdresser and one of our Health Club members, Steph, who has donated her time to do the shaving.

"The team is taking on this challenge in support of a friend and colleague who is undergoing cancer treatment at the moment."

The shave and coffee morning will take place at the Springfield Hotel on Wednesday, April 5.

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Hawarden Lodge of the Freemasons has donated to seven good causes.

• OVER the last few weeks a Flintshire Freemasons lodge has handed out seven separate donations, totalling more than £1,500.

The money has been distributed among various good causes and groups.

Ian Gibbons, charity steward for the Hawarden Lodge, said: "It is another excellent example of Freemasons working within the local community, providing support to local charities where it is needed most."

Those receiving donations from the Hawarden Lodge were:

• Nanny Biscuit, a community foodbank based in Deeside.
• Tenovus in Mold, who provide vital support to cancer sufferers.
• A group based in St Peter's Church, in Holywell, helping to feed local people and providing support.
• The Crossroads charity, which is a group of people helping a number of good causes within North Wales. In Greenfield they run a service supporting both dementia sufferers and their carers offering respite.
• Infinity Cymru, a counselling charity based in Llandudno, that helps individuals and their families.
• Mancot Library, a local resource run by volunteers desperate for support.
• The Neuro Therapy Centre, in Saltney, an amazing resource within the community providing support for people suffering from MND, MS, cancer and fibromyalgia.

Members of the lodge are currently provided with care, from the wonderful physios and health professionals based here.

Neil Eccles, plant manager of Novidon in Wrexham; Callum Rowland, student; Brian Rowland, Novidon employee and father of Callum.

• A WREXHAM-based company has made a generous donation to a specialist further education college, which supports young adults with learning difficulties into work and independent living.

Staff at Novidon raised £800, which they chose to donate to Derwen College, in Gobowen, near Oswestry.

One staff member, Brian Rowland, was especially pleased to hand over the donation, as his son Callum is a student at the specialist further education college.

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Callum is a day student at the college, learning skills in performing arts and retail and enterprise.

Brian and his colleagues raised the money growing facial hair last November as part of the annual Movember event.

He said: "The money was raised by staff for Movember, and they chose to donate it to Derwen College. I was really pleased when they decided that. My son Callum started at the college last September and he is really enjoying his time there."

Young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) from across the UK come to Derwen College to learn work skills and independent living skills. The college is unique in that it has a garden centre, café, restaurant, charity shop and hotel - all open to the public - where students train and learn work skills. There is also a Performing Arts pathway, where students learn all aspects of performance art. They regularly attend events in the community with their song and dance routines.

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Many students go on to paid and voluntary jobs in their own community once they have left.

Derwen College is proud to have received a prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise for its focus on Promoting Opportunity.

Neil Eccles, Novidon plant manager of the potato starch, sustainable starch and industrial adhesives manufacturer, and Brian were joined by Callum when they visited to make the donation and receive their certificate of appreciation.

Neil added: "I fully appreciate the work that goes on in places like Derwen and they really do deserve our support. I am very pleased that we can make this donation to the college."