The money will be used to offer training and education to the homeless

A millionaire businessman has given £60,000 to a north Wales charity supporting homeless families.

Brian Kennedy, owner of Premiership Rugby Union team Sale Sharks, made the donation to Flintshire-based charity Save the Family.

He previously donated money to the fund for Madeleine McCann, the British girl who went missing in Portugal.

Save the Family will use the donation to offer training to homeless families in a bid to get them into work.

Helen Booth, of Save the Family, said: "We want to give families the skills they need to rejoin their communities as fully contributing members of society."

Mr Kennedy, who is behind businesses such as Everest and Weatherseal, launched a charitable trust three years ago to encourage the more affluent to help those who are less well off.

Linda Miles, director of the Brian Kennedy Trust, said: "Brian wanted to be involved in a project that was about engaging with those in need but also encouraging people to help themselves.

"Sometimes people hand over money to charities without really understanding the emotions that are involved in the charity's work. Brian was really impressed with Save the Family."

Save the Family's launched its training arm the Miracle Company at the end of 2010 to create job opportunities in north east Wales and Cheshire.

Parents are trained in carpentry and furniture repairs and food production skills and the company has a production centre at Northop in Flintshire and retail outlets in Mold and Chester.

The company makes and refurbishes furniture donated by the public and sells the items through its charity shops.

It also sells a range of jams, chutneys and preserves and chocolates.

The charity want to create a new food hygiene and preparation training centre inside the former disused Flint Chapel.