Penryn Rotary Club’s president, Ann Congdon, has roped her famous brother – Flog It presenter Paul Martin – into helping out at a charity fundraiser next month.

Also on the bill for the event at the Merchants Manor in Falmouth on February 21 is singer Aaron Williams, who specialises in swing music.

Pau will act as auctioneer, enticing people to bid on a variety of lots donated by local businesses, including a meal for two with wine at the Hotel Tresanton, a two day learn to sail course with Cornish Cruising, a will from DB Law worth £75; a meal voucher for Merchants Manor and tour of Wingz Bird and Animal Sanctuary.

The evening is a fundraiser which is split into two distinct sections – profits from the sale of the tickets will go to Wingz while the money raised from the auction will be converted into small change and go towards the mile of five pence pieces which is being planned.

Penryn Rotary has been collecting five pence pieces for several months and has recruited help from Penryn College, through its Interact Club, the town’s two primary schools and has now spread out to Mabe and Flushing Schools.

Pupils, along with other supporters, have been encouraged to fill Smarties tubes with the coins in the hope enough can be collected to lay out a mile of five pences. The amount raised so far will be announced at next month’s charity evening after being counted at the offices of solicitors DB Law in Falmouth.

A call has now gone out for more empty Smarties tubes so the cash collection can continue. They can be taken to the solicitors’ offices on The Moor. A second appeal has been made to find somewhere the mile of five pence pieces can be laid out, but the space will be needed for about a week which is the time it is estimated it will take volunteers to complete the mile.

Ann and her fellow Rotarians are hoping the Penryn/Falmouth mile will be the first of its kind in Cornwall and if completed, it will mean that £4,470.40 has been raised which will be split between Wingz and Project Primrose, a charity which supports an orphanage in South Africa.

Anyone who can help, or who wants tickets for the charity night which cost £15 to include a pasty, should call Ann on 0777 5920202.