Staff from Glasgow Housing Association pulled on their Sport Relief t-shirts and turned call-handlers for one of the UK’s biggest fundraising drives.

The 130 volunteers took in more than £94,000 in donations – and had a ball in the process.

By 7pm as the show went live on national telly, GHA’s Customer Service Centre in the Gorbals was transformed into a sea of white and red t-shirts – each emblazoned with the slogan 'We’re rising to the challenge'.

Some volunteers donned red wigs, some had sprayed their hair green, others came in fancy dress. They all wore a smile on their face.

"I'm having a great time," said housing officer Cass Hendry.

Heather Voisey from GHA’s regeneration team took the first donation of the night


"I took £25 from a lady in Devon. I was pretty nervous but it was exhilarating and it all went perfectly smoothly," she said.

By 9pm the calls came thick and fast – from the length and breadth of the UK and from as far away as Spain, Switzerland and even Jamaica.

Housing assistant Karen Cramb could barely contain her excitement when she took a donation for £2000. "I had to ask the caller to repeat it because I couldn’t believe it," she said. "It was amazing. I think everyone has been so moved by the stories on TV."

But it wasn’t all hard work and no play. Catherine Wilkie from the homeless team led an arm-waving chorus of Rod Stewart’s Sailing and in a small room off to the side there was a skipping competition for anyone who needed a bit of their own Sport Relief. Investment officer Charlene Griffin took top prize with 97 skips in half a minute.

As well as the call handlers, an army of support volunteers worked in the background providing catering, IT support and organising the event.

Among them were Acting Director of Housing and Customer Services Alex McGuire who did the rounds with his tea trolley, helped by his director colleagues Peter Denheen and Mark Logan.

Sport Relief sent a message of thanks to GHA. It said: "It might sound a cliché but to us it is reality: we simply could not raise the money we do without the marvellous support of centres like yourselves. Well done and many many thanks."

(GK/BMcC)