The spooky season is Elsecar family’s favourite
CLAIRE Williams doesn’t celebrate Christmas and her birthday comes and goes – but when Halloween comes around, the Elsecar mum can’t wait to eat, drink and be scary...
Claire, her husband Trevor and daughter Madeleine are busy preparing for a frightfully good night which Claire hopes will also raise money for charity.
The garden of her family home in Howse Street, Elsecar, will be transformed with smoke and thunder and lightning machines, a seven-foot clown, witches and jumping zombies.
Support worker Claire said: “I don’t celebrate Christmas or my birthday but I have always loved Halloween. My daughter and I always get our make-up done professionally and love getting dressed up.
“There will be skeletons and a full-size coffin in the garden and a marquee round the back.
“I start planning in August and have done 350 goody bags – there will be hot chocolate and juice for the children.
“Last year, I did our display and we had about 160 people come along to see it – people started trying to give me money and I was saying, please don’t give me money so this year I decided that I would try to raise something for charity. I have volunteers coming from Action for Barnsley Homeless which is a great charity. It gets no funding whatsoever, relies totally on donations and is run by volunteers.
“It serves hot food and people can go along and collect sleeping bags or clothes and it also offers advice and help. We’re aiming to raise £350 and have already had £275 donated.”
The spine-chilling spectacular gets underway at 4pm on Monday at Howse Street S74 8AJ and the spooky goings-on will run until 8.30pm.
“We hope everyone comes along and has a great time. The children on the street love it.”