OILMEN working off the Dutch coast were moved to tears when they heard about the work of Acorns' Children's Hospice - so raised £1,337 for the charity.
Every year the crews aboard the Noble Ronald Hoope, an American drilling rig working in Holland, hold a charity raffle as part of their Christmas festivities.
Rig manager Steve de Souza, of Hereford, said: "Not being with their families on the day naturally led their thoughts to other families and their children, and they decided to divide the proceeds between children's charities in Holland, Lithuania and Britain, their home countries.
"On Christmas Day I rang my wife Siobhan at home in Hereford, to ask her about local children's charities.
"She is a regular supporter of Acorns Children's Hospice, and told me about the work they do. I looked up the website from my desk on the rig and was moved to tears by what I saw.
"It was so sad. We felt so fortunate to have a good job and a happy family, and we felt that Acorns should benefit from the raffle we have each year."
Mr de Souza nominated Acorns, which has a hospice in Worcester's Bath Road, for a share of the funds.
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