Hensingham Halloween House Raises £1,593 for Hospice Charity Despite Theft
A popular Halloween attraction in Hensingham has raised more than £1,500 for charity, despite suffering a theft shortly before the celebrations.
Homeowners Philip Pattinson, 44, and his wife Dianna, 45, collected £1,593.41 for Hospice at Home West Cumbria through their annual Halloween display. The couple transformed their garden into a themed attraction for the fifth year running, welcoming hundreds of visitors who came to enjoy the decorations, meet the family and support the fundraising effort.
The fundraising total was achieved despite a setback when the couple discovered that their charity collection bucket had been stolen from the garden. Philip found pieces of wood scattered around the area where the bucket had been kept and realised it was missing. He said they did not know how much money had been inside, as donations had been collected from visitors during the preceding week. The family hoped someone might provide doorbell or other footage to help establish what happened.
Following the theft, local residents and businesses rallied around the couple with donations and practical support. Philip said the response from the community had been encouraging, helping them continue their fundraising plans despite the incident. Former teammates from Tubby FC also contributed after hearing about the missing collection bucket, while local businesses and individuals provided financial assistance, equipment and materials for the display.
Hundreds of people visited the attraction on Halloween night, with the family handing out more than 500 trick-or-treat bags. This was 100 more than the previous year, and Philip’s daughter Mischa had to prepare additional bags as visitors continued arriving. Philip said the period between 5pm and 6.30pm brought a constant stream of people to the property, with families travelling from different areas to see the display.
This year’s theme was called Hensingham Halloween Havoc, inspired by the World Championship Wrestling Halloween Havoc event. Philip spent five days preparing the garden, building a wrestling ring with imitation barbed wire and a walk-out entrance made from tree branches. The display also featured 15 skeletons dressed as famous wrestling characters, alongside decorations retained from previous years, including a giant handmade spider, graves and other Halloween props.
The attraction also received support from Whitehaven Fire Station, which brought a fire engine to the property for children to visit. Young visitors were able to sit in the vehicle, creating another highlight of the evening. Philip said some children initially thought the fire engine had arrived to attend an emergency, before discovering it was there as part of the family’s Halloween event.
Several local businesses and supporters contributed to the fundraising and organisation. Chris and Andra Perkins of First Choice Move made a donation and provided recording equipment to help film the display for social media. First Image Signs supplied charity posters featuring a QR code, while Moss Bay Working Men’s Club hosted a collection bucket. Angela Stanaway of Main Street Hair and Beauty also made a donation, alongside contributions from friends and members of the local community.
Hospice at Home West Cumbria provides palliative and end-of-life care to people in their own homes and local communities. The charity also offers emotional support, complementary therapies and specialist lymphoedema care, with services provided free to those who need them. The Pattinson family selected the organisation because of its support for people known to them and its importance to families across the area.
Following the success of this year's attraction, Philip is already considering improvements for next Halloween. He plans to create a second garden entrance and a separate exit path to make it easier for visitors to move through the display. He has also arranged storage for the decorations and props, allowing the family to develop larger displays and explore new themes for next year's fundraising event.
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