FAMILIES enjoyed fun in the sun yesterday to help save one of the city’s most important historic structure.

A free family fun day was held in Madeira Drive to help fund the campaign to save Madeira Terraces.

The crumbling Madeira Terraces are in desperate need of repairs and last month Brighton and Hove City Council launched its crowdfunding campaign.

It wants to raise £432,000 as a proof-of-concept fund to restore three of the arches and prove to other funding bodies the terraces have broad support, as the crucial first step in a £24m plan to save the arches.

At yesterday’s fundraising event seafront development manager Toni Manuel, who is running the crowdfunding campaign said: “It has been great to have so many people here.

“A lot of people said they had already pledged online and came down to support us. “Others who maybe weren’t so familiar with donating online wanted to come down and put some cash in a bucket instead.

“It has also been about raising awareness.

“Lots of people have also been volunteering their services.

“A lot of people think there isn’t much down Madeira Drive but when you come down here you realise there are a lot of people around.

“This is a historic part of the city and we need to bring it back to its former glory. “

Julia Weeks, of the Madeira Drive project said that the event had been a great boost for the western end of the seafront.

She said: “This is all about bring life back to the area east of the pier.

“There have been lots of families coming down and having a go on all the stalls, meeting the seagulls.

“people have really come together to do something to help.”

Entertainment and stalls were provided for yesterday’s event by Brighton Palace Pier and i360 staff were lending a hand. The Big Screen gave free entry to anyone who had made a donation - and Sealife offered discounts to supporters.

Businesses big and small as well as individuals have all pledged to do their bit.

The council pledged £100,000 to the campaign.

Within days the campaign had 400 public pledges totalling £11,000.

After two weeks it had 500 public pledges totalling £15,000.

Developer U+I pledged £25,000 towards the council’s goal which it aims to meet by the end of November.

Supporters have many ways of helping.

One option is to display a poster at work or home from the Visit Brighton office at the town hall. Every online pledger gets exclusive Friend of Madeira Terrace discounts and rewards with local businesses.?

David Ewing has printed six Save Our Brighton T-shirts to sell for £15 each with £10 going to the campaign. Cartoonist Lisa Holdcroft is donating the profits from her terraces-inspired artwork.

To support the campaign, visit spacehive.com/madeira-terrace.