Hove mum encourages people to join rock painting group and appreciate the NHS

Submitted by Fran Aiello Rewritten by Khadija Taboada

A Sussex mum has come up with a creative way to say thank you to frontline workers, and wants more of the community to get involved.

Fran Aiello wants people to join the growing national Facebook group by painting themed rocks to show appreciation of the NHS and all they have done during the coronavirus pandemic.

As a mother of two, its have been a fun activity during lockdown with seven-year-old Bluebell and young Dexter who is only 22 months old.

Together they decided to dedicate the rocks to the 100 NHS workers who sadly have lost their lives. As well as painting for the 40,000 people or more who have lost their lives due to the pandemic.

Fran who lives in Hove, Sussex said: "We are hoping to reach their families personally. And showing them our respect.

"We have also been selling charity T-shirts which our members can get their own artwork printed, while all the proceeds go directly to the Rocking Horse charity in Brighton, Sussex."

The chosen charity for T-shirt sales helps raise money for life-saving medical equipment for children across the county,

Fran continued: "It would be great if this is something more people could get involved in, as well as getting their kids involved as it’s a really good activity for them to do giving them a sense of achievement.

"Bluebell has been doing loads and loves looking to see how many likes the group is getting, and seeing everyone’s creations.

"I have spoke to a few NHS staff members who think this is such a lovely idea. A few of them posted pictures of the rocks they had found.

"They said how happy it made them to find one. This makes me really happy as this is the aim of the group to show them how much we appreciate what they are doing."

You can join the Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/FRANSNHSROCKS/