A HOUSING association in South Gloucestershire has proved it has a heart after raising more than £6,000 for charitable causes.

Merlin Housing Society has held a charity football match, a gruelling 10k run, a dragon boat race and a nail-biting abseil and staff have taken part in Children in Need with a dress-down Friday and Movember with some moustache growing.

Communications manager Faye Galvin said: "I’ve been really impressed with people’s enthusiasm for throwing themselves off buildings, plunging into icy water and dressing up in ridiculous outfits all in the name of charity.

"We hope to do even more next year. We’re already planning on sending a team to jump out of a plane and to stair climb the height of a mountain in the Alps. And, we’re on the lookout for a new corporate charity to support."

Around 35 per cent of the total raised went to Merlin’s 2012 corporate charity, The Tom Hunt Trust. The rest went to other causes including St Peter’s Hospice, the oncology unit at Bristol’s Children’s Hospital and Pucklechurch-based charity the Brandon Trust.

Suggestions for a charity for the society to support this year should be emailed to communications@merlinhs.co.uk