A FASHION week held in support of the RNLI has already raised £11,500 for the lifeboat station.

Penarth Fashion Week, the first initiative of its kind in the town, was held between October 5 and October 20 with events being held by businesses right across the town.

Businesses which held events included Gingers fashion store which hosted a show at All Saints Church Hall.

The Queen B of Stanwell Road, Brush With Beauty on Victoria Road and Ener-chi of Hickman Road also held events.

Refresh Skin Studio on Plymouth Road, Blu Hair Design of Stanwell Road and Crepe Escape of Glebe Street also put on events for the campaign.

Fashion designer Nathan Palmer held an event and designed a special RNLI suit for the occasion.

The final events were a fish supper and fashion show at the lifeboat station and Willmore’s.

The final figure raised is due to be confirmed next week but the RNLI says the campaign has been “amazing.”

Caroline Eva, chairwoman of the Penarth RNLI fundraising committee, who helped come up with the idea for Penarth Fashion Week, said businesses have been “phenomenal” in their support. “The town has backed the project phenomenally and businesses have been amazing,” she said.

She said the RNLI would like to thank sponsors Valco and Beverly Davies Penny and C3I which helped set up the stage as well as the lighting and the sound at the lifeboat station.

Award winning chef James Sommerin cooked a fish supper on the same night at the station in one of the highlights of the15 day initiative.

The campaign had started out as a week of events but as more and more businesses got involved, it grew to the 15 day extravaganza that it ended up being.

Other businesses to host events included Ginger’s.

Ms Eva praised the efforts made by the community. She said: “We would like to thank the Penarth Times and Vale Life for their coverage. “Everyone has given 100 per cent including the shops, coffee shops and bars of Penarth have donated raffle prizes.”