‘Care, don’t scare’: West Cork doctor honoured with scarecrow double at Leap festival

A lifelike scarecrow of West Cork’s Dr Jason van der Velde has become the star of Leap’s annual Halloween festival — spreading a vital message about emergency response

As emergency consultants go, he is "outstanding in his field".

And the same could be said for West Cork's Dr Jason van der Velde's scarecrow doppelganger — with the popular medic posing alongside it for a photocall with a difference this week at the Leap Scarecrow Festival. 

The festival has been championing local causes since it was founded 10 years ago by local resident Rita Ryan. What started as a community initiative has since grown into a popular annual Halloween festival with a host of scarecrows created by local groups and individuals. 

While designed to make people smile, some have a deeper resonance and aim to raise awareness of many deserving charities.

Kate Crowley, who volunteers with West Cork Rapid Response, an organisation co-founded by Dr van der Velde, said the team took it upon themselves to make a scarecrow in the doctor's likeness.

The festival’s standout scarecrows draw crowds to Leap, highlighting the skill and humour of local makers in a celebration that has become a fixture of West Cork’s autumn calendar.

While the community stalworth was told WCRR put forward a scarecrow, he had no idea it was an effigy of himself.

The scarecrow is part of a wider campaign by WCRR to remind people to know their eircode to help save lives.

Our slogan is 'care, don't scare'. The reality is that nobody wants me to be their doctor. If you see my face it means you are possibly having the worst day of your life. Chances are you have gone into a cardiac arrest or have been in a massive accident. 

"However, I don't want people to be alarmed when they see my face because I'm there to 'care, not scare', which is exactly the message we want to get across with this campaign," said Dr van der Velde

He hopes the campaign can help people impacted by life-threatening situations feel more at ease.

"We only turn up at life-and-limb threatening emergencies. This is to highlight that although you are in an emergency, we are there to care for people and we're not as frightening as we look."

He admits the new addition to this year's festival took him by surprise.

"The whole scarecrow thing came about because Betty and Kate, who run our fundraisers, were in touch with the festival. I knew they were entering a scarecrow to raise awareness. I had no idea that scarecrow would be an effigy of me. Even if I had known I don't think I would have objected because anything that raises awareness of this campaign is positive. 

"It’s also great to be involved in the community because you get to see all the positives too. Just recently I got to meet a little girl who I delivered at the side of the road 10 years ago."

The South African-born consultant has really taken Halloween to his heart since moving to Ireland.

A sinister clown inspired by IT mingles in the crowd, keeping festivalgoers on edge at the Leap Scarecrow Festival. 

"It's a lovely time of year that's so unique to rural Ireland. The Scarecrow Festival is particularly special because it highlights initiatives in the locality and what is great about the community."

Luke McCarthy shows off his wild side, fully transformed into a wolf for the Leap Scarecrow Festival. 

Little Éala Moloney Lowther, dressed as a pumpkin, practises her circus skills in the churchyard at the Leap Scarecrow Festival. 

Ruthann Sheehan, who is co-ordinating this year's festival, said Dr van der Velde's scarecrow was instantly recognisable.

"In the distance, it looks very real so you actually think you are looking at the man himself," she laughed. 

"To say that West Cork Rapid Response has had a positive influence on our community would be putting it mildly, so we are so glad to have them involved in the festival.”