Yates's staff help wounded soldiers

Staff at Yates's pubs across the country have been throwing themselves into a host of activities to raise funds for wounded soldiers.

To mark its 125th anniversary the pub chain is looking to raise £125,000 for charity Help for Heroes.

And appropriately staff at Yates's in Romford donned army gear and welcomed real soldiers for a fundraising weekend in June.

There was even a Second World War artillery gun stationed outside the pub as it managed to raise £2,500 towards its £10,000 target.

Manager John Hogan said: "It was a great team effort and it was fantastic to be joined by some real soldiers to get the Help for Heroes message across."

Other events planned to hit the target include a Romford's Got Talent competition and a party weekend.

Meanwhile staff from nine Yates's in the south of England got on their bikes and rode from Portsmouth to Bournemouth via the Isle of Wight to raise more than £7,000.

The team of 24 managed to complete the 35 mile course in eight hours on June 28.

Ronan McCann, manager at Yates's in Newport on the Isle of Wight, said: "It was a great day and all 24 of us finished - some faster than others.

"I will never take a hill for granted again. It was worth it though and we are all delighted to have raised so much money for a worthy cause."

And £4,000 has been added to the total by managers from Bicester, Luton, Watford and Reading who all scaled some of the highest peaks in Yorkshire for the cause.

While the team from Yates's Walsall raised £2,000 by skating 15 miles from the pub to Tamworth.