With Halloween just around the corner, here at Broadacres Housing Association, we are hoping our latest community grant won’t ‘scare’ away visitors to a popular local festival.

There’s no danger of that happening though because the grant will actually help people visiting the biennial Romanby Scarecrow Festival, which runs over the weekend of 25^th and 26^th October.

Through our Community Development Fund, we have provided a grant of £330 to cover the cost of the trail maps, forms and advertising leaflets for the festival, which regularly attracts over 1,000 people.

Villagers pay £10 to enter and design a scarecrow for their garden. Visitors can then view them using a trail map and then vote on their favourite with cash prizes for the top three.

The event has grown in popularity since its inception a decade ago with up to 100 local residents taking part and 800 maps sold. All proceeds from the event go towards the upkeep of the WI Hall which is used by numerous groups in the area.

Residents have grown more and more ingenius in their entries. Previously yellow stones have appeared throughout the village leading to a garden featuring the Wizard of Oz. Another notable entry saw Peter Pan and Captain Hook in one garden, the Lost Boys in another and Tinkerbell flying across a wire between the two.

This year Rapunzel, giant spiders and land girls are rumoured to be among those making an appearance.

“It’s an event that has really grown in popularity and brings the village together,” said event organiser Samantha Jennings. “It’s also a very cheap and enjoyable day out for visiting families.”

Trail maps can be obtained for a pound from the WI Hall which is open both days and offers refreshments. Throughout the year it hosts numerous groups including yoga, pilates and art classes, brownies, baby/toddler groups, walking netball as well as the WI itself and many others

“The Hall was built 80 years ago and is timber framed so is in regular need of attention,” said Samantha. “The great thing about the Broadacres grant is that we can say everything raised from the event will go to the Hall fund.”

For more information about Romanby WI search Facebook.

The Broadacres Community Development Fund supports local organisations, groups, and projects in areas where we have homes, with all grants approved by our residents.

To apply to the Broadacres Community Development Fund, visit https://www.broadacres.org.uk/customer-area/getting-involved/community-development-fund/.