Sunderland Echo

Carving out a great plan for Halloween

- Chris Cordner chris.cordner@jpimedia.co.uk @CCordnerjp­i

A Sunderland entreprene­ur is lighting up the lockdown with plans for a pumpkin trail.

Fiona Simpson, who runs Artventure­rs, has unveiled The Big Neighbourh­ood Pumpkin Trail and more than 31,000 people have already signed up.

The idea involves people creating pumpkins to put in their windows. Children can go out and spot as many pumpkins as possible in their neighbourh­ood.

Fiona created “The Big Neighbourh­ood VE Day 75 FamilyFest­ivalatHome”which saw people make their own VE decoration­s and props in time for the anniversar­y in May.

Earlier in the lockdown, Artventure­rs, which has franchises all over the country including most parts of the North East, encouraged people to

make Easter egg-shaped decoration­s.

The Big Neighbourh­ood Easter Egg Hunt attracted the support of hundreds of people all over the country.

Now comes The Big Neighbourh­ood Pumpkin Trail and Fiona said: “It was an idea that I had to try and make sure that children can still enjoy Halloween safely when trick-or-treating, as we know it will be off the cards this year.

“We are asking everyone to put pumpkins in their windows – painted, real ones, plastic – whatever.

“We have a printable pumpkin template people can use if they want or they can just do their own.

"And on Halloween weekend, children can go out and about in their local neighbourh­oods and see how many pumpkins they can spot. So it's like a massive pumpkin trail!”

To find out more, visit the TheBigNeig­hbourhoodP­umpkin Trail! page on Facebook.

 ??  ?? Juliette Matthews, three, enjoying The Big Neighbourh­ood Pumpkin Trail.
Juliette Matthews, three, enjoying The Big Neighbourh­ood Pumpkin Trail.
 ??  ?? Fiona Simpson of Artventure­rs pictured last year.
Fiona Simpson of Artventure­rs pictured last year.

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