It's pumpkin time again and once again it's not just orange ones that are popping up around Manchester.
A campaign that started in America made its way to Manchester a few years back - with people turning their pumpkins teal.
Unlike the , which highlight that a child has autism, the Teal Pumpkin Project focuses on allergies.
An awareness campaign from Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), it aims to ensure every child can experience the joy of trick or treating and stop those with food allergies and other dietary restrictions from being left out by not being able to eat the treats on offer.
By putting the pumpkin outside your home it is a clear sign to parents and children that there are non-food treats available.
Mum Kirsty Bennett puts one outside her home in Haughton Green, Denton, and hands out non food items such as glow sticks, yo yos, finger puppets and stretchy skeletons.
Kirsty, whose two children Chase and Hadley both had cow's milk protein allergy, first heard about the teal pumpkins on the Cow's Milk Protein Allergy support group page on Facebook.
She said: "The trick or treaters love the non food items we have and a lot of parents say what a good idea it is to not just give sweets."
The Teal Pumpkin Project is in its sixth year in America, where one in 13 children has a food allergy.
Lois A. Witkop, chief advancement officer at FARE, said: "This campaign provides a great opportunity for communities to show their support of kids with food allergies who typically cannot enjoy trick-or-treating in the same way that their friends do.
"As a result of the Teal Pumpkin Project, more Americans are recognizing that food allergies are very serious and have a major impact on a child’s quality of life."
How to take part
- Provide non-food treats for trick-or-treaters
- Paint a pumpkin teal or buy a teal pumpkin at your local craft store or pharmacy, or print a free sign from www.tealpumpkinproject.org
- Place your teal pumpkin or sign in front of your home to indicate non-food treats are available.
