Meet Dexter 🎃

Dexter is 13 years old and completely obsessed with Halloween.

For the last four or five years, that obsession has grown into Dexter's Halloween, an annual home Halloween event created to entertain the local community and raise money for Little Havens Children's Hospice.

For Dexter, Halloween is pretty much a year-round project. Birthday money, Christmas money and anything else he manages to save usually ends up going towards another animatronic, prop or piece of equipment for the display. If he had his way, the animatronics would probably live in his bedroom all year too.

Behind all the scares, lights and animatronics is something that means a lot to him.

Dexter and his family visited Little Havens Children's Hospice, near Rayleigh, where they met the CEO and members of the team and saw first-hand the care, facilities and support provided to children and their families.

The visit made a lasting impression on Dexter. Since then, raising as much money as possible for Little Havens has become a major part of why he puts so much time, effort and his own money into Dexter's Halloween.

Visiting Little Havens 💛

Dexter outside the entrance to Little Havens Children's Hospice — Arriving at Little Havens.

Dexter standing in the hospice lobby beside the painted rabbit and elephant sculptures — In the main lobby, surrounded by the painted animal sculptures.

Dexter sitting on the padded mat in the hospice sensory room — The sensory room.

Dexter on the brick path in the hospice garden with the model railway behind him — The hospice garden, with its model railway.

Dexter in front of the metal dinosaur skeleton sculpture in the hospice grounds — By the dinosaur sculpture in the grounds.

Recognised by his community

In 2025, Dexter was nominated for Rayleigh Citizen of the Year in recognition of his fundraising for Little Havens.

He didn't win the award, but being invited on stage and receiving his certificate was a huge moment for him. At such a young age, having his efforts recognised by his local community meant a great deal and gave him even more motivation to keep going.

Dexter on stage at the Rayleigh Citizen of the Year awards receiving his Certificate of Recognition — On stage at the Rayleigh Citizen of the Year awards, receiving his Certificate of Recognition in the Young Citizen category.

And it keeps getting bigger

Every year Dexter starts planning how he can improve the event. New animatronics are researched months in advance. Ideas are tested. Props are collected. Then, as October approaches, the house gradually disappears beneath scaffolding, lighting, decorations and an increasing number of Halloween creatures.

What started with a young boy decorating his house because he loved Halloween has become an event that brings the local community together while raising money for a cause Dexter genuinely cares about.

So when you visit Dexter's Halloween, every pumpkin, skeleton, scare and slightly ridiculous animatronic has a purpose.

Dexter gets to create the Halloween event he spends all year thinking about, and together we get to raise as much money as possible for Little Havens.

Dexter in the community 📸

Dexter in a hooded costume being interviewed by BBC Essex among the Halloween decorations — Dexter in character, interviewed by BBC Essex.

Dexter holding a basket overflowing with sweets and snacks in a supermarket aisle — Stocking up on sweets for event night.

Two boys posing either side of the large winged gargoyle — Showing a friend The Gargoyle.

Dexter standing on the garden deck — Dexter in the garden — before the decorations take over.

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