A GLOBAL craze spreading smiles has hit Stratford.
‘Love on the rocks’ sees people paint a stone – or several – and hide them for people to find, and hopefully brighten someone’s day.
Some people go out hunting for the stones, which have been found hidden all over the town and surrounding areas.
And some baffled townspeople stumble across them by accident, but after a little online research discover the social media community and can often find out who painted the stone, and even go on to create their own mini pieces of artwork.
Facebook pages such as Bidford Rocks, Southam Rocks and Love on the Rocks are just some of those where people post pictures of their findings.
Some stones hidden around Stratford have been unearthed by delighted tourists, who have taken them home as a souvenir of their visit Shakespeare’s home town. Those discovered by visitors were painted with the likes of owls or dogs or emblazoned with the words ‘Love Rocks’.
Snitterfield resident Katey Bradshaw is one of those joining in on the craze – which originated in America – and says she is hooked on ‘spreading a little happiness’.
The mum-of-two told the Observer: “My friend has a lot of painted rocks at her house that her daughter was collecting. She explained to me the whole ethos and idea is that you paint a rock and hide it for someone to find to make them smile.
“The next day in Stratford I walked into town on the hunt for rocks. Then lo and behold I found my first rock on a wall near Evesham Place. I couldn’t believe it, I was so chuffed, it made me smile all day.”
Katey, who works as a manager at DCS Group, says she has painted around 30 rocks, with one even making it to the far flung shores of Texas. The lady who found it then hid it for another person to discover.
Now Katey is hoping even more will get out their paintbrushes in their spare time.
She said: “I have hidden them around Stratford and some at Coombe Park in Coventry. I like the thought of people finding something to make them smile and from a child’s perspective it’s more of a treasure hunt.
“There are some lovely ideas out there – it was particularly popular around Remembrance Day with lots of poppy rocks being painted. Christmas themed ones were popular and for kids Disney characters are a favourite too.
“The more people who find the rocks more likely they are to do their own. It’s such a lovely idea.”
Search on facebook for more information on the craze.
