The  Beehive/Pensychnant Yaffle Raffle is open again! Donate and have a chance to win the new 1kg handpainted chocolate egg, commissioned by Beehive from Baravelli's of Conwy. You could also come to the winter fair and buy a raffle ticket or some of the unique Yaffle Truffles, with all proceeds to the Pensychnant Foundation. The draw will take place on Dec 9th on the second day of the winter fair.

Last year we set ourselves the target of raising £500 to help Julian and Karen continue their valuable work at the Pensychnant Foundation. With your help and combining just giving donations, ticket sales and sale of truffles on the day we raised close to £900! This made a big contribution to the refurbishment of the billiard room upstairs - see the pictures in the gallery. The room is used for workshops and classes which both generate income and support the charity's mission of conservation education and community support. So your donations made a real difference to the work that Pensychnant does. 

As before, all those who donate more than £5 on this page will have the chance to win the Yaffle Egg in the raffle on the 9th December at Pensychnant’s Winter Fair.  Simply add your name to the donation on this page, and EMAIL YOUR NAME AND CONTACT DETAILS TO JULIAN.PENSYCHNANT@BTINTERNET.COM so we can identify you. Your name will be put in the draw. Alternatively, you can buy raffle tickets on the day at Pensychnant on 9th Dec. The draw will take place in the afternoon. 

Pensychnant is a charity based on a 150 acre Victorian Estate in the outstanding natural beauty of the Sychnant Pass near Conwy, north Wales. It's a magical place, with its eccentric Arts and Crafts house surrounded by beautiful woodland and fields extending up to Conwy Mountain. Centuries of traditional farming have shaped the prehistoric landscape around it and diverse wildlife, both common and rare, can be found in the ancient and Victorian woodlands, heathland and ffridd. The charity works with a community of naturalists and wildlife organisations which strive together to conserve the wildlife and natural beauty of North Wales. Pensychnant is also a community resource, hosting arts and craft workshops, and yoga and well-being sessions among other events.

Last year Beehive, a local organisational development consultancy, commissioned Conwy’s own master chocolatier, Emma Baravelli of Baravelli’s Artisan Chocolatiers, to paint one of her famous chocolate eggs for Pensychnant which was raffled at Pensychnant’s Winter Fair to raise funds for the charity. It was so successful that we have done the same thing this year. This year's egg is painted with a tawny owl because we were lucky enough to see a baby one on a wildlife walk with Julian. It had been left in a holly tree by its parents while they hunted. It was magical, and it's this kind of magic that Pensychnant creates. 

Emma Baravelli is both a master chocolatier and talented artist, and she has painted the egg. We have also asked her to create a unique chocolate – a ‘Yaffle Truffle’ – inspired by herbs and plants from the garden. These limited-edition chocolates will be on sale at the same event and all proceeds from the raffle and the sale of the chocolates will go to Pensychnant to support Julian and Karen in their conservation work. 

Sara Lodge and Mark Sykes, directors of Beehive Coaching and Leadership Development Ltd, became supporters of Pensychnant in 2020 after being captivated by its beauty and tranquillity during the pandemic. Pensychnant is literally close to our hearts – the Beehive office is close to Pensychnant on the Sychnant Pass - and we recognise the valuable role it plays not only in conserving the unique landscape but also in providing a place where people can go to reconnect with nature and themselves.

Both Beehive and Baravelli’s are run by husband-and-wife teams who live close to Pensychnant on the Sychnant Pass. They all share the same passion for local history, wildlife and conservation.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.