Hundreds come together for Family Fun Day in Middlesbrough

More than 200 people came together to enjoy a spooktacular afternoon of family fun and community spirit at North Star’s free Halloween Family Fun Day in Middlesbrough. 

Following the success of last year’s event, families were once again welcomed to the International Community Centre on Abingdon Road on Friday 30th October for an afternoon packed with activities, information stalls, and giveaways. 

North Star colleagues from across the organisation came together to help make the day a success, welcoming visitors, running stalls, serving refreshments and engaging with customers and members of the local community. 

There was something for everyone to enjoy, including Halloween crafts, a fancy-dress competition, an ice cream van, free halal food, freebies for all ages, and a raffle with a fantastic selection of prizes, kindly donated by North Star’s partners and contractors.  

One of the biggest attractions was the chance to meet donkeys Maurice and Teddy. Their appearance on Abingdon Road certainly caught the attention of passers-by, and they proved a huge hit with children and adults alike, creating plenty of smiles and opportunities to talk about North Star’s work in the area. 

Children also loved getting active with The Extra Yard, where they could test how high and how far they could jump, while volunteers from 0800 gave children the opportunity to learn about healthy food through fun activities, such as making their own fresh smoothies. 

As well as providing a fun day out, the event offered an opportunity for families to access useful information, advice and support from a range of local organisations. 

National Energy Action attended to offer energy advice and distribute free warm packs. The team reported making valuable connections and signing up a number of community members for further support. 

The Middlesbrough branch of the National Literacy Trust delighted young ones with their fantastic range of free books to give away.  

Representatives from Public Health and the NHS under-11s team were also on hand, alongside the Melissa NHS vaccination bus.  

The event was also joined by Middlesbrough Council, St John’s Ambulance, The Junction, and Homestart. 

The day would not have been possible without the generosity and support of contractors 0800, CK Plastering, Ian Williams, Garnhams and Evenii Ltd, who kindly donated items and raffle prizes, and PTSG, who covered the cost of the ice cream van. Middlesbrough Football Club, Greggs and KFC also donated vouchers to the raffle. 

 Feedback from attendees highlighted how much children had enjoyed themselves, alongside appreciation for the thoughtful organisation, activities and gifts. 

The International Community Centre’s venue manager, Bini Araia, who is also Director of The Other Perspective (TOP) and Project Manager at Investing in People and Culture (IPC) – organisations supporting diverse populations and refugees in the local area – was delighted with the event and the longstanding positive relationship with North Star. 

Dorothy Hague, North Star Housing Officer who has supported tenants in the area for over 40 years, said: 

"A big thank you to everyone for all your hard work and participation on the day. I know it meant so much to the community, but it also means a lot to me." 

The Halloween Family Fun Day was part of North Star's wider all-staff Heartbeat initiative, which has a particular focus this year on tackling child poverty. 

As part of the initiative, North Star will also hold an Innovation Day on Thursday 12th November at The Port of Middlesbrough, bringing together community groups and organisations from across Teesside to explore ideas and opportunities to tackle child poverty. 

Find out more and sign up: Innovation Day 2026 – Register your place

You can view some photos of the event below: