Families at a children’s hospice in Balloch have been able to enjoy the full pumpkin-picking experience this Hallowe’en.
For the first time, Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) has transformed the gardens at Robin House into an accessible pumpkin patch.
The colourful patch was created by the dedicated gardening and activities teams at the children’s hospice, with pumpkins, craft materials and Halloween-themed treats donated by Aldi Scotland.
Families enjoyed picking pumpkins, creating spooky decorations, painting and biscuit decorating, and taking part in fun seasonal activities designed to be inclusive for everyone.
In previous years, Robin House families visited local farms to pick pumpkins, but wet weather and uneven ground made it difficult for some children to take part.
Determined to ensure every child could enjoy the same fun, the team brought the experience to them, decorating the hospice gardens with hay bales, autumn leaves and bright orange pumpkins.
Maggie Brown, CHAS Robin House gardener, said: “I am so proud of our brilliant gardening team at Robin House for helping to bring this special pumpkin patch to the hospice gardens for the first time, making it fully accessible for all children and families.
“We wanted every child to feel the joy of picking their own pumpkin and we are so grateful to Aldi Scotland for kindly donating all 60 of the pumpkins along with Halloween crafts, fun painting kits and biscuit decorating bags.
“The children joined a scavenger hunt organised by our brilliant activities team, and also enjoyed spooky stories and an and arts and crafts workshop. Creating this little patch of autumn magic right here at Robin House has been a labour of love but the smiles from the children say it all.”
Alison Ringrose, activities facilitator at Robin House, added: “All of the children and young people who visited the patch with their families said how amazing it was. Maggie and her garden volunteers worked so hard to make the pumpkin patch special and fully accessible for everyone.”
The pumpkin patch formed part of a week-long celebration of Halloween at Robin House, where families also enjoyed a spooky sing-along, monster biscuit-making workshop, sensory play and fancy dress. These activities helped create even more seasonal magic for children staying at the hospice, ensuring every moment was filled with laughter and creativity.
Continuing the Halloween giving, Aldi Scotland also turned its Renfrew store into a pop-up pumpkin patch for families in the area to enjoy, offering visitors the chance to decorate pumpkins, take part in crafts and make a small donation to CHAS. The event raised £120 to help fund the charity’s vital work across Scotland.
Graham Nicolson, group buying director at Aldi Scotland, said: “CHAS provides an incredible lifeline for families across Scotland, and we were proud to support the team at Robin House in creating such a magical and inclusive experience. Seeing the joy it brought to children and their families perfectly captures the spirit of CHAS and the difference it makes every day.”
CHAS supports more than 500 children with life-shortening conditions and their families each year, providing palliative, respite and end-of-life care at Rachel House in Kinross, Robin House in Balloch, and through CHAS at Home services across Scotland.
For more information about CHAS and how to support its work, visit www.chas.org.uk.
