Fishermen on the Lizard Peninsula say they have been left "blown away" by the response to a fundraising appeal to buy three historic buildings – and save the area's fishing industry in the process.
The old buildings are at Cadgwith Cove, used by the fishermen landing at the harbour to store their gear and process their catch. They also house a popular art gallery and two shops selling fresh fish, while in the summer the hugely popular fish barbecues are held outside them.
The Cadgwith Fishing Cove Trust was formed to help save the buildings, but never in their wildest dreams could the organisers foresee that a crowdfunding appeal would go on to raise more than three quarters of the £300,000 needed, in just over a fortnight.
Currently more than £240,000 of the total had been raised, thanks to a huge surge of support both locally and nationally.
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Brett Jose, Skipper of one of the vessels that operates out of the cove, said: "We're all pretty gobsmacked with the amount of support for what we're trying to achieve.
"From offers of help, donations for our auction and, of course, to the crowdfunder which has raised nearly a quarter of a million [pounds].
"We didn't think in our wildest dreams that anything like that could happen, we're in shock."
The money is being raised in order to buy two of the buildings that are currently on the market, as well as have first refusal on a third already sold.
The community has already been approved a loan from the parish council to secure one of the buildings after a vote in the parish was over 80% in favour of it.
Not only would it mean that the fishermen can continue to use the buildings essential to their livelihoods, but by buying them the community hopes to protect them from being developed into what they fear could be more second homes and holiday lets.
John Trewin, who is also a fisherman and trustee, said: "These opportunities don't happen often.
"The crowdfunding has blown us all away really, and it will enable us to purchase the buildings and keep them in the trust and for future fisherman out of Cadgwith for ever and a day.
"We've been talking to the owners, who can see what's happening and want it to stay publicly owned, and they can see what's happening now that the crowdfunder has taken off, and that's eased their mind a bit.
"It certainly gives me hope for the future."
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If you would like to donate to the Cadgwith Fishing Cove Trust fundraiser, please visit their Crowdfunding page: Cadgwith Fishing Cove Trust.
As well as the fundraiser, the Cadgwith Fishing Cove Trust will also be holding an auction on Friday April 16 to further raise money for the cause.
People are still able to donate work to the online auction by emailing martha@davidlay.co.uk with vermeerfishing@tiscali.co.uk cc'd and the subject line 'Cadgwith Fishing Cove Trust Loft Preservation Auction Entry' by 5pm on Friday April 16.
You will need to include the following details if you're entering a lot, as well as attaching high-quality images of your artworks:
- Name of artist
- Name of artwork
- Method of painting (i.e. mixed media, oil)
- Size of artwork in cm (Height x Width cm) *For sculptures, only height in cm
- Signed or unsigned
- Framed/unframed
Full details can be found on the Trust's Facebook page.
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