Staying safe this Halloween

• Do not go trick or treating where treats are handed out and children go door to door.
• Do not leave bowls of sweets outside for children as this could increase the risk of infection.
• Do not go to crowded costume parties held indoors or any party where there are more than six people.
• Do not substitute your facemask with a Halloween mask as this will not keep you safe.

1. Have a pumpkin trail in your street, town or village. Have fun with the children either carving or drawing pumpkins and place them in your window. Neighbouring children can have fun pumpkin spotting. You could give your children a prize for the number of pumpkins they spot.
2. Have a virtual pumpkin carving competition with your friends. Carve your pumpkins at home and share the results via Zoom, Google or Skype.
3. Have fun decorating your house this season. You can access lots of templates and crafting ideas by visiting the CBBC website.
4. Have a Halloween scavenger hunt. Give the children a list of Halloween themed things to look for on their walk. Spiders or cobwebs for example. You can also do this in your home and hide some treats and spooky surprises instead!
5. Have a Halloween movie night at home. Even for very young children there are some family favourites. Bake some Halloween treats to make it a special occasion. There are lots of Halloween inspired recipes on the BBC Good Food website.

• If you’re hosting an activity it is safer outdoors.
  Keep to the rule of six and remember hands, face, space.
• Remember that the longer you are with other people the higher the risk.
• Maintain physical distance from people you don’t live with.

If you have COVID-19, have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in contact with anyone with COVID-19 you must self-isolate and not take part in any activities or hand out treats. Visit GOV.UK: coronavirus for more information.

Halloween is a night of innocent fun for many youngsters, but for elderly and vulnerable residents, having an unexpected caller can be distressing and frightening. For res, for info on protect

Whilst we don’t anticipate anyone will be trick or treating this year we have produced a poster with Thames Valley Police and encourage residents who do not wish to have Halloween callers, to display our ‘no trick or treat’ posters on their door or in their front windows. Posters are free of charge.

Tricks like throwing eggs and other vandalism will be treated as anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and the police will prosecute anyone found breaking the law. Extra police patrols will take place during the Halloween period.

Any antisocial behaviour should be reported using the Thames Valley Police non-emergency number 101. If you feel threatened, if it’s an emergency, or if a crime is in progress, dial 999.