STAFF from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory have raised more than £29,000 for charity during 2009, and are aiming to top that next year.

Cancer Research UK, Help for Heroes, local air ambulance services and the Royal British Legion have all benefited.

Events ranged from abseiling to head-shaving.

Staff have now selected their charities for 2010.

Porton Down workers will be raising money for Naomi House Children’s Hospice.

All three Dstl sites - Porton Down, Fort Halstead near Sevenoaks in Kent and Portsdown West near Portsmouth - will be supporting the Soldiers Sailors, Airmen and Families Association, and Dstl will continue to support the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

Brenda Hinton, Dstl charity coordinator, described this year’s total as “incredible” and said: “Support to charities is close to many people’s hearts in Dstl. Let’s see if we can beat that figure in 2010.”