It was a case of Christmas coming early for a Holywell scout group, thanks to a donation for essential equipment.

Two days before the big day, Cross County Explorers were presented with a cheque for £560 by Derek C. J. Walker, Worshipful Master of the Buckley Freemasons Lodge, and David Anglesea, also from the organisation.

The money from the Buckley Masonic Lodge will be used to buy four GPS trackers, which are vital for the scouts during Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, and longer hikes, when they need to be self-sufficient.

Cross County Explorers work with other Explorer Groups in Flintshire to run Duke of Edinburgh expeditions who might otherwise be unable to do so due to insufficient numbers in their group or needing the extra support. This means that more explorers can complete this section of their award and go on to complete the full course.

Cross County Explorers' unit chair, Erin Baxter, received the cheque alongside scout, Charlie Bond, Vicky Bond, Explorer Scout Leader, and Dave Jones, Group Scout Leader.

Mrs Bond said: "We are extremely grateful to the Buckley Freemasons Lodge for this wonderful donation, without which we would not be able to afford to buy this useful, and potentially life-saving, equipment.

"The trackers will enable us to locate the groups when we have difficulty with mobile communications, and to locate them if they are in trouble.

"They also have a safety feature which allows the explorers to call for emergency services if they need to, even if there is no mobile signal as they rely on satellite signals for transmission, as well as being able to send short messages to us.

"This also allows us to show the explorers where they have travelled throughout the expedition.

"The trackers are a very valuable resource and will be a huge benefit to us, and the other groups we work with when we are all out together."

• The Freemasons are widely known for their charitable donations to others and frequently support their local community groups.

Unlike other benefactors, the Freemasons donate from their own resources; they do not fundraise but take donations from their own brethren.

Charity is at the heart of Freemasonry, by teaching and practicing concern for people, care for the less fortunate and help for those in need.