Paul Lyell will once again give back to the community who supports him in the summer months
P&L Whippies free ice-cream giveaway for Halloween
There will be no tricks, just treats to send a shiver of delight through families out celebrating Halloween tonight (Friday, October 31). The chills will come thick and fast in the shape of 99 style ice-creams, served up for free by Hull ice cream man Paul Lyell.
Paul will be returning to a pitch at Swanland Playing Fields that he took up last Halloween, as a way of giving back to the local community that supports him throughout the summer months. He will open his serving hatch at 5pm and will keep handing out the traditional ice-cream, with a choice of chocolate, strawberry, raspberry, bubblegum or lime sauce, until 7pm.
Paul said: “Last year the kids were all dancing round to the music I was playing. I got such a buzz from it; I didn’t really realise the length of the queues or what was going on outside the van, I was just busy serving and chatting to everyone.”
Paul started out doing window cleaning then went into bouncy castle hiring before finding his forte with ice cream and setting up as P&L Whippies. His rounds take him into Hessle, Anlaby, Cottingham, Beverley and Swanland.
“It’s been busy this year,” he said, “the best season I’ve had with the weather having been so great. It’s quieter now but I’m still going out and just ticking over.
“The van’s all stocked up and ready for tonight – and I’ve got my Halloween costume that I’m wearing. Last year I probably gave about 200 ice creams away.
“I’ve had a notice in the front of my van advertising it, and posting on social media. I’m thinking I am going to be a lot busier this year.
“I’ll be playing music and I’ve got some inflatables, including a giant spider. Last year, I had someone topping up the ice cream mix for me but this year I’m on my own, but better prepped for it.
“I’m hoping it goes well. A couple of people commented last Halloween, asking why I wasn’t doing the giveaway in a deprived area, but I’m doing this in Swanland, which is the middle of the area I cover on my rounds, because these are the people who support me all year round and it’s because of them I have a business.”
Previously, Paul has done some of his giving back by taking food and gifts to the homeless at Christmas. “I like to do something to give back to the community once a year, and last year it was ice creams on Halloween, and I’m doing the same this year.”
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