MORE than 800 scarecrows are scattered across St Helens all in the name of saving Willowbrook Hospice this Hallowe'en.
St Helens Scarecrow Festival is the brainchild of mum-of-two Mandy Fieldhouse, 39, from Eccleston, which slowly grew from raising money in her area to the whole of St Helens.
It is all in the name of raising money for Willowbrook Hospice - which is in financial difficulty due to the pandemic and in desperate need of donations.
Those who take part donate £5 to Willowbrook Hospice via the JustGiving page.
So far £15,500 has been raised.
The winner - which will be selected by Thatto Heath-born comedian and actor Johnny Vegas on Sunday - will then win prizes, donated in name of the cause.
Mandy said: "It's honestly been so great, we had a drive across St Helens yesterday just to see what there was and it's amazing.
"People have been so lovely and keep messaging asking if we are doing it again next year, which I'm up for but its all so unexpected, it started just in Eccleston and now so many people are involved.
"More than 800 scarecrows, where people have signed up are across St Helens and Johnny Vegas has agreed to pick a winner for us. Team Willowbrook are narrowing it down to their top 30-40 and he will choose the winner from them.
"We've also had more than 130 gifts donated from St Helens businesses, it just goes to show how caring this community really is because we've raised £15,500 on JustGiving, I've got another £280 in cash and we are expecting more from The Griffin's dress up event on Sunday too.
"I just hope people love seeing them as much as we all do."
Alun Owen, from Willowbrook Hospice, added: "This is just one example of how this community rallies around those who need them, and Willowbrook is in difficulty as the pandemic has gone on.
"For us, the amount of people getting involved in the Scarecrow festival indicates to us that the care we offer for people does make a difference, because that's why people have donated, they know the level of care we offered to their loved ones and want to help us.
"Since the start of the pandemic we had to close our shops and furlough corporate staff and we''ve been managing on a wing and a prayer, then in July we had to make massive cuts and we lost staff to redundancies in September, which is devastating to us.
"Realistically coronavirus will leave us in a £330,000-£1.6 million deficit by March, so we needed help.
"We've had help from the Government, St Helens Council and Liverpool City Region but the community really came together to help us.
"We have more than £73,000 raised on our own website by individuals and Mandy's scarecrow festival has raised a further £15,500 so far.
"It just means we can continue to do all we can to help the people in St Helens in need and we are so grateful."
To donate towards the cause and to pay the £5 joining fee go to bit.ly/sthscarecrowfest
Community answers
Send us your St Helens Scarecrow Festival pictures
"If you’ve created a scarecrow outside your home please send us some pictures with details of who made it and where it is. We’ll be putting a special feature together in print and online showcasing your creations."
We asked for your responses - this is what you sent.
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Your pictures
Send us your St Helens Scarecrow Festival pictures
If you’ve created a scarecrow outside your home please send us some pictures with details of who made it and where it is. We’ll be putting a special feature together in print and online showcasing your creations.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel