Spooktacular student launches beastly bingo game for Halloween

A Halloween loving University of Northampton Student, Ashlee Lewis-Earl, has launched a fun alternative to trick or treating, for the Far Cotton community, this Halloween.

Ghost, ghouls, and all manner of creatures living in the Far Cotton area can take to the streets for a Covid-safe Halloween bingo trail, between 5-8 pm on 31 October.

Ashlee, who lives in Far Cotton, was inspired by the way the community displayed rainbows to herald the heroes of the NHS earlier in the year.

Ashlee, who has just started her final year at Northampton, studying for a Psychology degree said: “I’ve lived in Far Cotton since 2005, and the area is well known for getting into the spirit of community events. We’ve seen lots of rainbows over the summer, this inspired me to create the Halloween bingo trail.

“Covid-19 has scuppered this year’s plans for trick or treating, but I know that children love getting dressed up and having some Halloween fun. I didn’t want the local children to miss out on the fun.

“I decided to see if people on the local Facebook groups would be interested in an alternative celebration. They were, and now we have over 50 houses signed up.”

People living in the Far Cotton area register their household with Ashlee through the Facebook page, and are given a specific Halloween themed poster which can either be posted to them or downloaded to display in their windows.

Beastly bingo players register and receive a printable bingo card, which they take out with them, dressed in their finest fancy dress, for the spooky scavenger hunt.

Ashlee is also hoping people will decorate their houses as they normally would, even though trick or treating is strictly prohibited.

Ashlee said: “We’ve worked out a few routes around Far Cotton, to help people stick to social distancing rules, we want everyone who takes part to maintain social distancing, stick to the rule of six and have some fun.”

If you want take part, join the Facebook Group, or receive a downloadable bingo card.  All households and bingo players are encouraged to check the Gov.uk website and make themselves familiar with, and adhere to the coronavirus restrictions.