Teacher set to bring Halloween fun to Sunderland streets with 'Truck & Treat' tour

Mark Foster, 40, is getting set to drive a truck decorated for Halloween around the streets of Sunderland and Seaham on October 31, in a bid to bring smiles to the faces of youngsters unable to go trick or treating under lockdown restrictions.

The dad-of-three launched the ‘Truck & Treat’ event on Facebook last week in a bid to see who would be interested and has since been inundated with requests from families keen for some Halloween excitement to come to their street.

Joined by a few dressed-up volunteers, Mr Foster plans to visit around 30 streets across Wearside from 5pm onwards this Halloween handing out sweets sealed in packets – from a safe distance – to youngsters who are accompanied by parents.

Children will also be able to have a socially-distanced photograph taken with the truck’s spooky crew at each stop.

Areas included on the route are Silksworth, Ryhope, East Herrington, Doxford, Tunstall, Farrington and Hill Farm.

A full risk assessment will be carried out in conjunction with Sunderland City Council and Northumbria Police ahead of the tour, with all involved in the visits already being fully DBS checked.

The truck team will follow Covid-19 safety guidance by wearing masks under their costume masks and will be sanitising throughout the evening.

The street visits are free, but the event aims to raise funds for Wearside Women in Need and Sunderland Food Bank by way of a bucket collection.

Mr Foster said: “I came up with the idea when I was at the gym on Saturday morning and said to my wife that I thought it would be a good thing to do because there is no trick or treating this year.

"It will be a way of keeping the love of Halloween going.

“I put a post on Facebook [about it] and by Monday morning I had to stop taking requests for the streets. It just snowballed!

"I’m really excited about it, I just want to see the kids happy.”

Mr Foster said it would be the first Halloween that his three-year-old daughter is likely to remember and knows that families of youngsters of a similar age will also be disappointed their child can’t join in with the usual celebrations this year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

He hopes that the visits will still allow children and families to make some Halloween memories together.

The dedicated teacher is also encouraging others to do the same in other areas as long as they conduct a risk assessment with police and the local authority.

Mr Foster added: “There’s massive demand if anyone else would want to do the same thing – any decorated car and some costumes would make the kids’ nights.

"Kids will remember the time when a creepy vehicle came into their street – we hope that they will love it.”

Full route information will be announced in the coming days on the ‘Truck & Treat’ Facebook page.

To donate to the chosen charities visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/truck-and-treat

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