NATIONWIDE staff have been going casual to raise money for brighter futures.

Through their dress-down Fridays they amassed £1800 to take the fight to cancer and improve health services in the area.

The document management team at the company has supported several different charities over recent years and plays an active role in choosing its worthy causes.

Mike Robins, employee of the building society in Swindon, said: “Staff felt Brighter Futures was a local charity they wanted to support as they have had family members or friends who’ve had to travel to other locations for radiotherapy treatment.”

Team members chipped in with donations whenever they wanted to ditch their shirts and ties at the end of the week. Organisations such as the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, Sands, and Childline have all benefitted from their drip-drip contributions which mount up to substantial sums over time.

Mr Robins added: “Nationwide BS aims to do what is right by its members and their communities by going to the heart of what it means to be a building society. In fact, following a member vote in 2007, we invest at least 1% of our pre-tax profits to support good causes each year.

“We were founded to enable anyone to have a place fit to call home; based on feedback from our members, this year we're launching a programme to help make this happen. We will be working with colleagues, members and housing experts across the UK to find local solutions to national housing issues and make a long-lasting difference to communities.”

The team is planning car washes, a tennis event during Wimbledon, cake sales and a World Cup sweepstake in aid of their next charity of choice.