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Owls and creepy crawlies to join spooky Halloween fun at Aberdeen church

Ashley and Broomhill Community Council are throwing their Owl-O-Ween event at Holburn West Church.
Ashley and Broomhill Community Council are throwing their Owl-O-Ween event at Holburn West Church.

Owls, snakes and a menagerie of creepy crawlies will be showcased at a spooky celebration in an Aberdeen church this Halloween.

Ashley and Broomhill Community Council is teaming up with the Girl Guides to throw the Owl-O-Ween Party at Holburn West Church on Saturday, October 29.

The community council was re-established in October last year and is celebrating its first anniversary by hosting the free Halloween event.

Owls from 2Wit2Woo will be at the church for people to touch and hold.

Fraserburgh-based bird rescue 2 Wit 2 Woo will be at the church, giving children and adults the chance to hold real owls and learn more about the noble birds.

Guests will also have the opportunity to get up close to spiders, snakes and reptiles as the Scottish Exotic Animal Rescue, based in Nairn, will also be at the event with an array of creatures.

Sam, the Burmese Python is one of the animals the rescue cares for. Picture by Sandy McCook.

Children will have the chance to hold the exotic animals and learn more about them.

Throughout the day, there will also be country dancing lessons, a scavenger hunt, crafts for all ages, and a prize for the best costume.

Supporting community space

Tom Murray, chairman of the community council explained it was re-established last year and shortly afterward, the group learned Holburn West Church is expected to close in May next year.

They became concerned about the potential loss of local groups and services to the community and have been supporting the Holburn West Community Group which plans to purchase the building and transform it into a community centre.

Holburn West Church, on Ashleigh Park Drive. Picture by Kath Flannery.

He said: “As October marks one year as a community council, our treasurer Leila Turner-Smith suggested we hold a celebration of one year, with a Halloween theme and also promote the work being done to purchase the church from the Church of Scotland and transform into a local community centre.”

Ms Turner-Smith the organiser of the event said it was excited to have 2 Wit 2 Woo and the Scottish Exotic Animal Rescue at the event.

She said: “Ashley and Broomhill members are really excited about the Halloween event, we’re celebrating our one-year anniversary and we wanted to do something for everyone in our community.

“We hope it’ll be a good turnout, we know a lot of parents in the area are very excited about it.”

The community council hopes they will be able to host more events like Owl-O-Ween in the future if the church building becomes a permanent community space.

Bringing people together

Councillor Martin Greig has praised the event as an opportunity for youngsters to learn more about the animals from the experts, as well as bringing people of all ages together.

He said: “The Halloween event is an excellent activity to bring together people of all ages in the area.

“There are opportunities for fun and learning in this carefully organised celebration and the chance for dressing up and refreshments.

“I am really grateful to the community council for this splendid initiative. The community council contributes a lot through its positive programme of activities in the interests of all residents.”

Conversation