Lyndhurst scarecrow trail organisers 'bowled over' by success of debut event

ORGANISERS of Lyndhurst’s first scarecrow trail said they were “bowled over” by the response after more than 1,000 people took part.

The event, organised by the village infant school’s PTA, saw more than 50 businesses and residents create their own unique scarecrow for the trail.

PTA member Eloisa Gil-Arranz said: “We were bowled over by the response we received, not only from people attending the event but the time and effort that was put in by local residents and businesses to make it a success.

“The scarecrows were incredibly imaginative and I can see the trail becoming a firm favourite in the village calendar.

“We couldn’t have done this without the generous support of the businesses in the village – they not only helped with the event but also provided funds for raffle prizes.”

Open to all, participants were led around the village by a map revealing the location of each scarecrow, and at the end were asked to name their favourite one.

The winner was the Mullans family’s entry Gru and his Minions, the characters made famous by the Despicable Me films.

Sales of the map raised more than £1,300, which included a generous donation by the Stag Hotel, and the influx of visitors to the village brought additional trade for local business over the weekend.

Head teacher Matthew Bowen said: “We are incredibly grateful for the hard work put in by everyone.

“These funds will help support the children in a number of ways through the purchasing of essential supplies to give them greater opportunities in learning.”

Special thanks went to the Southern Co-operative for its support on the day of the event and generous raffle prize donation, and Nathan Dudman for designing and printing the maps at his own cost.

Businesses in the village also donated cash for raffle prizes, including the Fox & Hounds, the Mailmans Arms, the Woods Cyclery and the Lyndhurst Sweet Shop.