THE Quality Hotel in St Albans is riding the crest of a wave with the Royal Navy after hosting crew members for a fund-raising drive.

A team of six from HMS St Albans led by Petty Officer Andrew Gibbs weighed anchor and made a voyage around various pubs in the city on behalf of the Help for Heroes charity last month, raising nearly �3,500 in the process. The team joined up with the St Albans Sea Cadets where, in the space of three hours, Petty Officer Gibbs and his helpers raised more than �900 before moving on to St Albans City Football Club’s ground.

Petty Officer Gibbs said: “We were delighted with the success of the weekend’s fundraising, which was very much a team effort. We were grateful for all the support we received, particularly at St Albans City FC through John Gibson and Ian Rogers the vice chairman of the Saints City Trust. Many of the crowd donated, and their generosity is greatly appreciated.

“The city-centre pub collection was also highly successful and again we are grateful to Linda Hanson, the Pub Watch co-ordinator for Hertfordshire Police, and local business owners for allowing the collections on their premises.”

Quality Hotel general manager Jon Kett-Reynolds, who is chairman of the Hertfordshire Hoteliers Association, said: “The hotel is particularly happy to help a team with an important link to St Albans to raise money for it and to play a part in a project that saw many partners working together to make a success.”