Penlee RNLI's fundraisers are really cooking with gas after securing a quarter of the funding needed for a new boat house.

Volunteers aiming to collect £200,000 for a new lifeboat station in Newlyn won the £50,000 top prize, plus a kitchen, in the 2015 Jewson Building Better Communities Awards.

Yesterday afternoon, RNLI lifeboat press officer, Elaine Trethowan from Penlee, travelled up to Birmingham for the event and was over the moon when she discovered the Penlee Project had come out on top.

Patch Harvey, RNLI coxswain of the all-weather lifeboat at Penlee, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have won the £50,000, plus the kitchen, at this year’s Jewson awards. We have been raising money for a much-needed new lifeboat station since the start of the year and winning this money gives us tremendous help towards it. We are extremely grateful."

Penlee’s current lifeboat station was built in 1983, and unfortunately, now 31 years on, is no longer fit for purpose.

With around 25 volunteer crew, additional shore crew and fundraisers, there is an urgent need for more space. There is a huge need for a changing room as the crew currently have to change in the corridors.

There is also need for a dedicated crew training room as it is essential that the RNLI crew have an appropriate environment to train to operate the charity’s state of the art lifeboats and navigation systems.

The new station will be rebuilt on the site of the existing boathouse (subject to planning permission) and will be twice as big as the current station. It will provide much improved facilities for the crew including; a changing and shower room, a dedicated mechanics workshop and a visitor attraction where Penlee’s proud heritage and sea safety information can be displayed.

The first floor will include a larger crew room where they can rest and warm up after a shout. A galley area, a dedicated office and a separate training room will also be included.

The campaign was originally one of more than 2,000 schemes around the UK, whittled down to 63 finalists, which had entered the £100,000 competition.

An online fundraising campaign has so far raised almost £40,000, meaning the appeal is nearly half way to its target, and donations can be made at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/penleelifeboatstationappeal