STAFF and management at a Swindon hotel have been busy raising money for a couple of good causes.

Staff at the Blunsdon House Hotel gave £2,000 from their Christmas tips towards the Tsunami appeal and now the hotel has donated £3,500 to the Prospect Hospice, in Wroughton.

Managing director John Clifford said: "I think this is great. We have always been a part of the local community.

"We are not a multi-national business. We are part of the infrastructure of Swindon and we like to help when we can."

The hotel donated £1 for every customer who had a Christmas dinner at one of the hotel's Christmas parties during December.

Mr Clifford said: "It worked out at £3,500 for the month. And today the staff added £200 to the donation.

"When the tsunami appeal started our staff social committee had a quick meeting and gave £2,000 to the fund.

"They donated it through the North Wiltshire branch of the Rotary Club and they have just heard that the money has been used to buy a replacement fishing boat that is being used by five families on the Sri Lankan coast.

"The hotel staff work very hard to earn their tips, so to make a gesture like that without thinking twice about it is wonderful."

Everyone at the hotel is celebrating as it has become only the fourth UK hotel to win a quality award at the Best Western Hotels national conference in Dublin last week.