Poppy Fox-Worthington, 12, with a few of the props to be unveiled during her family’s Halloween fundraiser for St John.
October has arrived and Halloween looms … seems the time is right to dust off whatever hobgoblin horrors rattle your chains and head across to the Fox-Worthingtons for a scaring that just might top them all.
The normally dapper Peter Fox-Worthington is orchestrating a terrifying haunting over five evenings leading up to Halloween on October 31. Together with his long-suffering yet strangely supportive wife and daughters, the family’s pledge is to scare the bejeezus out of all comers.
The five-night fearfest is all in the name of fundraising for St John, which will offer some comfort to those with dicky hearts. If you’re going to be petrified half to death, rest assured … this family knows CPR.
The Cambridge real estate broker has transformed his home over the past few months. Black lace curtains cover the windows, potions and poisons assembled, props and outfits collected, skeletons positioned, cobwebs draped and flowers cut and wilted for decoration. He has even replaced his own family photographs with hideous alternatives, and terrifying holograms are being readied to peer down from the walls.
Some of Peter’s themed artefacts, including a coffin-shaped vase filled with bones.
“I don’t want to present your standard Halloween-themed party, with the odd scary image and things that go ‘boo’. This will be a complete makeover that follows a story,” Peter said. “We will all be dressed for the occasion … visitors will be greeted with a brochure outlining the story as they are directed through different areas of the house.”
Without revealing all, the tale involves a lot of death, leading to the inevitable array of ghosts – one pair is set to dance in the wind in the outdoor pavilion, another will play the harpsicord. There will be ‘dead’ food and flowers, arms extending from graves, a collection of eerie sounds, spooky movies, and a zombie-repellent candle will join several others to provide the only available light.
Peter, his wife Justine and daughters Robin and Poppy, all have parts to play; Peter is looking forward to giving his unusual collection of furniture and artefacts a uniquely Halloween airing. “I’m very proud of my collection. It’s taken 40 years to bring together … people don’t often get to see it. And while I have had other occasions here, things like garden parties, I haven’t gone to this extent before to mark Halloween.”
Signs will be put up outside the Fox-Worthington’s home within the next week or so, and Peter will drop around 1000 flyers into post boxes.
His home at 46 Hamilton Rd will be open from Sunday October 27 through to Thursday October 31, from 8pm to 10pm.
More details on the Halloween fundraiser are from Peter on 021 153 0191.
