AN EVENING with the current Welsh rugby captain has pushed the Penarth Times-backed RNLI new lifeboat appeal £12,000 closer to its target.

Sam Warburton was guest of honour at the event held at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff.

There was a dinner and auction of sporting memorabilia, along with a question and answer session with the Cardiff Blues and British and Irish Lions star, who shared some insights into his rugby career whilst speaking with MC and auctioneer for the evening, BBC Scrum V's Phil Steele.

A spokesman for RNLI Penarth said: "We are honoured and extremely grateful to have the support of Sam Warburton and the event was a massive success.

"We thank Sam Warburton, Phil Steele and the Hilton, as well as all who contributed to organising this fantastic event, and of course to everyone who attended and gave so generously to our cause.

"On behalf of Penarth lifeboat station thank you all for making such a difference, we really appreciate your support.

"This is an enormous contribution and takes us over the £30,000 mark - well on our way to the £52,000 that the new boat and equipment on board will cost the RNLI to provide to Penarth station."

Other fundraising events contributed towards the total this week too.

Albert Road Ladies Fitness Group managed to raise £3,222 from the final balance of their charitable monies.

Having been set up in 1976 in Albert Primary School, the group still meets socially and has raised thousands of pounds over the years for different causes.

Other donations also came in from a 98-year-old woman who collected monies dropped in the street, and an anonymous £10 sent in by post.

The current D class boat has recently undergone its final safety refit, before it is replaced in 2018.

Please help us raise the money by getting involved.

No matter how big or small your fundraising event or idea, let us know and we will help publicise it.

We will also try to cover as many events as possible.

Send any fundraising ideas to reporter Anthony Lewis at penarthtimes@penarthtimes.co.uk or contact the appeal team at penarth@rnli.org.uk

To donate directly send a cheque made payable to Penarth Lifeboat Appeal to Penarth Lifeboat Station, The Esplanade, Penarth, CF64 3AU.

You can also donate online by visiting www.justgiving.com/fundraising/penarthlifeboatappeal1