A MILLIONAIRE is giving homeless families a window of opportunity to get their lives back on track.

Brian Kennedy, owner of Premiership Rugby Union team Sale Sharks, has donated £60,000 to Flintshire charity Save the Family.

The money will be spent on refurbishing Flint Chapel on Chester Road into the charity’s Miracle Company, a new social enterprise created to retrain and educate homeless people.

Its workers are made up of mums and dads living in Save the Family’s main housing centre at Plas Bellin, Oakenholt, and members of the local community.

Parents are trained in carpentry and furniture repairs as well as food production skills.

Future plans include additional workshop and production facilities.

Mr Kennedy, who is behind property investment company Patrick Properties and household business names like Everest and Weatherseal, donated the mioney through his own charitable trust.

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.

“Brian was really impressed with Save the Family; moved by the work it does and what it has achieved so far.”

The Miracle Company was launched at the end of 2010 to create employment opportunities and to provide extra money to fund the charity’s activities in North East Wales and Cheshire.

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

It also sells a range of jams, chutneys and preserves and has recently launched a new line of chocolates.

Save the Family’s Helen Booth said: “Many of our families have lost their homes through redundancy or long-term unemployment.

“Save the Family’s main aim is to keep the family unit together and prevent children of homeless families being taken into care, but it also wants to give families the skills they need to rejoin their communities as fully contributing members of society.

“Mr Kennedy’s fantastic donation will certainly speed along those ambitions.”