A community group in Helston has ten days left to raise just over £700 or see its dreams of installing a wood burner go up in smoke.

As the Packet went to press the Hearth for Helston Crowdfunder campaign, to install a wood burning stove in the former Penrose Road community centre building, had reached £4,245 of the £5,000 needed to make the project a reality.

Due to the nature of the campaign, although 102 backers have made pledges ranging from £5 to £250, unless the full total is reached by the deadline of 5.01pm on Sunday, March 14 none of it will count however.

The Cornubian Arts and Science Trust (CAST), which took over the building in 2012, set up the 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.

Helston Community College has recently given its backing to the campaign, with quizzes, raffles and events being planned to help reach the final total.

Liz Dickinson, head of the college’s faculty of visual and performing arts, has met with all the subject leaders in the faculty and they have agreed to show a promotional video created by Nina Constable in their lessons, including post-16, and talk about the project.

Liz said: “We are aiming to be able to pledge £1,000 – ambitious I know – so that we can get the stove named in our honour!

“The whole team are enthusiastic and are coming up with ideas that we will formalise in our faculty meeting and we should have completed all classes by March 13. Hopefully, even if we don’t make the full £1,000, we can make a significant bid to help.”

Pledges can be made at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/a-hearthfor-helston with anyone offering money receiving a gift in return. These range from a tea towel through to meals in the CAST cafe, while £1,000 will get the stove named in that person’s honour. They will also receive a three course dinner for four and a tea towel.