The Cornubian Arts and Science Trust, which took over the former community centre in Penrose Road in 2012, has set up the 'Hearth for Helston' fundraising campaign to help heat the building.

It needs to raise £5,000 to buy a wood burning stove and run a 40ft flue up the outside of the building, with the amount also taking into account the cost of labour.

If successful, the project would mean the charity could develop its community cafe and also hold many more workshops and lectures open to the public.

To help make it happen a campaign has been set up on the Crowdfunder website by Dominic Bailey, who has a photography dark room in the building and is heading up the heating project.

He told the Packet: “There’s no heating in the building. People love the building and whenever they come you can sense they are happy to be back. A lot of people in Helston went to school there, or went to classes when it was a community centre, so to have a heated space in there is very symbolic. It’s a powerful symbol for the town having warmth.

“It will all help build a stronger relationship between CAST and the town.”

The campaign was launched on Saturday with a party for all the artists who have studios in the CAST building.

This was the same day that the online campaign went live at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/a-hearthfor-helston with £1,000 raised during the first two days.

The website includes a video by Nina Constable from Falmouth, introducing the building.

The campaign works by people pledging their money, although nothing is paid unless the project reaches its £5,000 target by the deadline of 5.01pm on March 14.

In return for their support, people |will receive a reward proportionate |to the amount pledged. Those giving |£5 or more will receive a free tea or |coffee from the CAST Cafe, while £10 will get you a tea towel designed by a |CAST artist and a free hot drink. |Pledge £25 and it’s a two course lunch |and a tea towel and £50 it’s lunch for |two and a tea towel, while £100 and £250 donators will get three-course dinner |for two people or four respectively, at |the Cast Cafe.

There is one pledge of £1,000 available, which will allow the benefactor to have the stove named in their honour, plus a three-course dinner for four and a tea towel.

People can also pledge their skills, with carpenters and upholsterers particularly needed as there are plans to create a long bench for the cafe.

There are already plans to open the cafe twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from February half term.

Anyone who would like to offer money to the project, but is unable to access the internet, can call into the cafe from then to make a pledge.

The building will also be open |during for two workshops at either end |of the half term holiday, with |pinhole camera making on Saturday, February 14 during the afternoon, and printmaking over two sessions on Saturday, February 21.

More activities are planned for the end of that month and through March.

To view the promotional video and make a donation click here