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www.bradleystokejournal.co.uk
t: 01454 300 400
November 2017
News
How colourful rocks are spreading kindness…
Ellie Carr (aged 6) shows off some of her favourite ‘rocks’
B
rightly decorated pebbles have been appearing at random locations all over Bradley Stoke in recent weeks, a sure sign that a worldwide phenomenon known as the Kindness Rocks Project has reached our area. The craze, which is particularly popular amongst families with young children, involves using paint, glitter and other materials to decorate rocks or pebbles with colourful images and then leaving them lying around
in public places, sometimes partially hidden, for others to discover and enjoy. The ‘rocks’ are usually labelled with a hashtag, which identifies the creator, and people are encouraged to post photos of their ‘finds’ on local Facebook groups (ours is called ‘The Stokes Rocks’), quoting the hashtag. Once recorded, the ‘rock’ is often moved to a new location, exposing it to a wider audience. Around the Stokes, pebbles can often be spotted on top of street
Pebbles decorated by members of The Stokes Rocks group on Facebook
name signs, dotted around play parks and on bridges and posts in the Three Brooks nature reserve. Popular spots are around the local primary schools and on the pathways leading to the Willow Brook Centre. While it is possible to use pebbles found in the garden, many people have been buying bags of stones from garden centres, as these have a regular size and consistent colour. Acrylic paint and Sharpie pens are often used for the decoration,
which is then weatherproofed using clear nail varnish, spray lacquer or yacht varnish. One enthusiastic member of The Stokes Rocks, Adrienne Wheeler, estimates that her family has decorated and placed more than 60 pebbles over the past few weeks. Adrienne says rock painting is a craft activity that children of different ages can easily get into. Apart from the creative aspects, they also enjoy ‘treasure hunting’ – discovering pebbles hidden by others. Children are also delighted to hear, via the Facebook group, that their creations have been discovered and appreciated by others in the community. Adrienne says her daughter Charlie (6) was “absolutely thrilled” when one of the Bradley Stoke PCSOs posted a picture of a pebble Charlie had hidden on the official police Twitter feed (@ASPTheStokes), having discovered it whilst out on patrol. Another local member, Sara Carr, said children are sometimes so impressed with the stones they find that they want to keep them rather than hide them again. Some children have also been known to decorate pebbles with their friends’ favourite characters or images and leave them near their friends’ homes, which leads to great excitement when the “personalised” object is discovered.
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