Halloween with a Purpose

Written by: Caitríona Landers

We at UPP Global, help to reduce youth inequality. We do this through sport and education. And with the occasional party! The Halloween party we held recently was a hugely enjoyable and beneficial experience. 

Halloween makes me nostalgic as I spent every year of my childhood celebrating it with my family. My mom would host her famous Halloween parties every 31st October with all of my cousins. We would dress up, stuff ourselves with sweets and play games all evening. It was one of the highlights of the year.

What better way to share energy and reminisce this Halloween than with the kids we support through UPP Global. It has been fantastic being back with them, after months of being stuck at home. 

We had our usual football (I have been converted to calling this football and not soccer, sorry dad) session which we had to start a bit later than normal because it started pouring with rain. However this didn’t stop some of the older boys from running around the field and having fun in the wet weather!

After the session, we got cleaned up and ready for the party. We gathered around the tables that one of our volunteers, Paige, had beautifully decorated. Everyone tucked into delicious pizza, sweets and fizzy drinks. The kids then dressed up in masks and costumes and had fun playing with each other. 

Soon after that, the face painting began. The kids were excited to transform themselves into vampires, skeletons, cats and other creatures! The face paint added to the magic of them pretending to be scary creatures with their costumes and props. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the Halloween party which extended into the early evening as everyone was having so much fun. We will all hold this memory of this special event. We made sure to take lots of photos to help! I’m certain this is just the beginning of making memories with the volunteers and kids of UPP Global. I’m so excited to see what the future holds.