THAMES Water staff in Reading and Swindon will be joining in the fundraising efforts for this year's BBC Children in Need appeal on Friday, November 16.

Employees from across the company will be answering calls at Thames Water's customer Centre in Swindon between 6.30pm on Friday and 2am on Saturday.

Last year, about 270 volunteers took 9,865 calls, resulting in more than £302,000 in pledges and payments.

The Customer Centre will be hosting a variety of other Children in Need activities, such as a fancy dress event, tombola and sweet sale.

Staff at the company's business centre, in Clearwater Court, Reading, will also be taking part in a range of other fundraising activities on Friday, including a raffle and a "dress-down" event.

Last year, activities across Thames Water raised more than £5,000 which the company doubled to a total of £10,000 through its charities committee.