Friday 30th October, Durham – Hundreds of families enjoyed a spooktacular Halloween Trail at St Cuthbert’s Hospice this week, helping to raise over £7,700 for the Hospice’s specialist care and support services across County Durham.
The family-friendly event, organised and funded by Poplar Tree Garden Centre and generously supported by MGL Group, welcomed more than 850 visitors over two evenings, transforming the Hospice grounds into a Halloween adventure filled with games, activities, fairground rides and seasonal treats.
The event was held on Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th October and proved to be a huge success, with all proceeds supporting St Cuthbert’s Hospice and the care it provides to local people with life-limiting illnesses, as well as support for their families and carers.
Alex Lloyd, Community Fundraiser at St Cuthbert’s Hospice, said:
“After such a successful event last year, we were delighted to bring the Halloween Trail back for 2026 and make it even bigger by extending it across two evenings. We are incredibly grateful to Poplar Tree Garden Centre for once again organising and funding this fantastic event in support of St Cuthbert’s Hospice.
“We would also like to thank to MGL Group, whose generous sponsorship helped provide many of the attractions and activities that made the event such a success. It was wonderful to see so many families enjoying themselves while helping to raise vital funds that will enable us to continue providing care and support to local people and their loved ones.”
Caroline Walker, Director at Poplar Tree Garden Centre, said:
“St Cuthbert’s Hospice is a charity incredibly close to my heart, and supporting them has become a very important part of both my personal and working life.
“One thing I feel particularly passionate about is helping to change the perception of hospice care. St Cuthbert’s isn’t simply a place associated with sadness or the end of life; it is a place filled with compassion, dignity, laughter and love. It’s somewhere families are supported through incredibly difficult times, but also somewhere some of their most precious memories are made.
“Our Halloween event is a wonderful example of that. Seeing hundreds of local families coming together within the Hospice grounds, making memories and having fun, while simultaneously supporting such an important cause, is incredibly special.”
Visitors followed a Halloween-themed trail through the Hospice grounds, taking part in a variety of family-friendly activities designed to entertain children of all ages.
Among those attending was Laura McKenzie, who said:
“We loved the Halloween event at the Hospice. It’s our second year coming and the little ones thoroughly enjoyed it again. The team have put so much hard work into the decorating and it shows. It’s a beautiful setting at St Cuthbert’s and lovely to know we’re helping raise funds for people needing hospice care in our local community.”
The event raised over £7,700, helping St Cuthbert’s Hospice continue to provide specialist palliative and end of life care, wellbeing services, bereavement support and family support across County Durham.
