If home is where the heart is, then it is no wonder more and more residents and businesses have pledged their love to the borough’s biggest fundraising appeal on Valentine’s Day.

This February 14 will be the second annual Love Kingston Day, where residents, businesses and organisations raise funds for borough-based good causes.

Among the businesses taking part are the Canbury Arms pub, in Canbury Park Road, that will host a coffee morning, offering punters a bacon butty in exchange for some charitable coins.

One Show presenter and Surrey Comet columnist Angellica Bell will also be popping in to lend her support, before a raffle takes place, giving away prizes.

Canbury Arms landlord Michael Pearson said: “It is all about community.

“We are always up for good causes. We will be giving out croissants and butties. We are going to have a raffle and hopefully we will have a celebrity guest or two.

“Kingston is a great place to live and work and the Love Kingston appeal is a great way to help under privileged members of our community.”

Several schools have also got in on the act.

Kingston Grammar School will be hosting a mufti day and cake sale while Surbiton High School students will wear an item of red clothing and have their faces painted with red hearts.

Shrewsbury House School, in Surbiton, will hold a charity run and Coombe Boys’ School will also ditch the school uniform in favour of a mufti day.

Children at King’s Oak Primary School, in New Malden, will be donating by dressing up as princes and princesses for the day.

Fundraising manager Elaine Miller is hoping to raise £100,000 for the appeal from Love Kingston Day alone.

She said: “It is possible, it is doable, it is potentially achievable. Whether or not we achieve it, it is not through lack of trying. We have had wider and more diverse support, ideas and plans this year.

“Whatever we achieve it will be a fantastic effort and something we can build on.”