It’s a busy time of year with half-term, Halloween and bonfire season coinciding.
Love or hate bonfire season and Halloween, we have some ideas for you and tips from our Members.
With Halloween falling in the middle of half term there is a big buildup to the main event. Some spooky activities are taking place on the 31st day and some beforehand.
Heathfield will also see the first bonfire event to be held in a very long time, in the centre of town, this Saturday. Here are the details:
- 6pm – 10pm: Road closures will be in place.
- 7.15pm: Start of procession. This will start at Mill Road and be going through the main town and various residential streets (see below procession route map).
- The procession will eventually end up at the firesite at the Community Centre on Sheepsetting Lane.
- 9.30pm: Approximate start time of fireworks display. (Duration approx. 10 mins.)
Sunday sees a fabulous Halloween Horrors event at Herstmonceux Castle for children http://www.herstmonceux-castle.com/event/halloween-horrors/ They can wear fancy dress and come to a day of spooky castle magic, featuring magician, stilt walker, crime scene and decaying corpse games, wizard story telling, ghostie word hunt, colouring competitions, mask making, photo booths and much more.
At the nearby Observatory Science Centre there are two brilliant half-term workshops for children. Eyes on the Universe is a half-day workshop for six to eight year olds with fascinating hands-on activities related to space.
Crime Detectives is another half-day workshop for six to eight year olds which leads them on a journey to discover what, when and why the crime occurred. Booking essential for both workshops.
Halloween is a fun holiday for us but can be a stressful time for our pets. Here are a few tips from Heathfield Vets to keep your pets safe and calm on the spookiest of nights!
- Don’t let the kids feed your dog Halloween candy, chocolate or sweets (the former has theobromine and the latter often has xylitol, both of which are toxic to dogs) or let them escape during all their half term adventures.
- Walk dogs earlier in the day before trick or treaters come out to play, especially if your dog is of a nervous disposition.
- There may be strangers knocking at the door which could cause stress to dogs and cats, so keep pets in a different room with a favourite toy or treat to keep them occupied.
- Beware of lit pumpkins, keep them out of reach of pets (especially cats who like to climb!).
- Be conscious of choking hazards like small plastic toys.
- Dressing up your dog can be fun, there are plenty of costumes in pet shops right now. Be careful of outfits that may irritate or cause discomfort and never force a dog into dressing up if they aren’t enjoying it.
- Consider keeping outdoor cats in for the evening, they may become stressed due to the increased number of people out and about.
And special mention to Wanted on Voyage which has a special Halloween offer on bags and Trading 4 U which has a great selection of fireworks at great prices.
Be careful everyone and put safety first!