If you down to the woods today...Scarefest returns for local hospice

On a bright sunny day, Chambers Farm Wood, near Wragby, is bursting with wildlife, visited by happy dog-walkers and filled with tranquil birdsong.

As dusk turns to night on Saturday, October 27, the atmosphere will become terrifyingly bone-tingling at the hands of the fundraising team at St Andrew’s Hospice.

The woodland is once again being transformed into Halloween spectacular, where witches hang out in the undergrowth and ghosts are ready to spook you at every turn.

The Scare Fest is being staged to raise money for Andy’s at St Andrew’s, the children’s unit at the site in Peaks Lane, Grimsby, and it promises to be even more thrilling than last year’s, which saw people from all over the county take part.

Participants will this year walk a 1.5-mile course through deep, dark woodland and by open countryside, with all manner of blood-curdling obstacles in their way and, thanks to feedback received through social media, the 2018 event will feature a family-themed walk for the first time.

Becky Darnell, Charity Fundraiser & Events Coordinator at the hospice explained more.

She said: “We received some great feedback from last year’s event and this time around we will include two walks.

“The Trick or Treat Trail is suitable for families and children under-12 and will start at 5.30pm, with the full Scare Trail for adults and over-12s taking place later in the evening.

“It’s guaranteed to be one of the spookiest fundraising events of the year,” she said. “The terrain is firm and the route is clearly marked… it’s the surprises and shocks along the way that people need to watch out for!

“What I can say is to expect the unexpected. We are keeping things tightly under wraps until the night.

“I’ve been to Chambers Farm Wood many times during the day, and it really is a lovely beauty spot to visit. But at night, it looks, feels and sounds entirely different. Believe me, it’s quite unnerving!

“I don’t think last year’s participants really anticipated how different it is, especially with the tricks and treats we had in store for them. Screams and laughter could be heard echoing around the wood as they made their way to the finish line.

“We are definitely increasing the fear factor for this year – but all in the name of fun, of course. If you love Halloween or scary films, then the Scare Fest is definitely for you. The imagination is a very powerful thing, and most people love a good, old-fashioned and, most importantly, safe fright at Halloween.”

Andy’s at St Andrew’s Hospice looks after children and young people from birth to the age of 25 with any progressive life-limiting illness. They travel from around the entire Lincolnshire area, as well as Hull and East Yorkshire, to access its free palliative care, either for respite or as an in-patient.

St Andrew’s is one of a handful of hospices who run both adult and children’s services on the same site. It costs £5.5-million a year to run, and only a small percentage of that is granted by statutory bodies.

Becky continued: “Andy’s really is an amazing place and we rely on the generosity of the communities we support to continue our work. I hope I’ve inspired people to get involved in the Scare Fest and our other fun events.”

Sign up to the Scare Fest at www.standrewshospice.com/scarefest-2018 or call the fundraising team on 01472 350 908. Participants are asked to collect sponsorship, as the registration fees are used to cover costs.