Halloween Done Differently in Bentley

Local community group Bentley Area Community Partnership (BACUP) has been actively supporting Bentley for decades. BACUP, Well Doncaster, Councillor James Church and Amelia from Manna/Boston & Co Café met to discuss a possible event for Halloween in the park. Both James and Amelia are members of BACUP and both are catalysts for positive change within Bentley.  

Amelia suggested the idea of a disco/dance themed event inside the pavilion which was felt would be an instant hit, and link with Bentley Pavilions history of dance and music. The group then thought about the facilities available to the community and felt it was important to make part of the event focus on Bentley Park which is Green Flag Park. BACUP and partners discussed how to best use the park and a book hunt where families would move round the park in all sorts of ways, like scootering, walking, and cycling to collect clues to answer Halloween themed questions was suggested.  

It was a huge success! Once all the questions had been answered, books, donated by Doncaster Stories were given out to families for free. Doncaster Stories kindly donated over 200 books to the event. Across the afternoon, over 60 families took part in the hunt for clues and over 150 children received at least one new reading book. Who would’ve thought reading and physical activity could be done in the same activity! 

This event was a great example of the power of communities in creating positive change by building on the strengths of a community. Well Doncaster acted as a lightning rod, encouraging partnership working and supporting innovation.