No stone unturned in search of laughter

At my age nobody would expect me to want to be in a rock band, so you may be pleased to learn that I am not suddenly going to want to perform in my local pub or social club.

Just as well really, as I cannot play an instrument and my singing voice isn’t up to professional standards by any stretch of the imagination.

The kind of rock group I have just formed is more arty crafty, in that I paint stones then hide them locally around the village in which I live for the children to search for.

They enjoy finding them, then re-hiding for some other child, or as I have discovered, adult and even dog to find!

On the back of the stone is written #RockaroundPerton, and the request for the stone to be re-hidden, preferably somewhere around the village, although lately I have heard that one was found in Bridgnorth in a tree and another had travelled to Worcester and was found next to a giraffe!

Not a real one I hasten to add, a decorated model in the city somewhere.

The idea is that everyone joins in, painting their own stones and hiding them for the pleasure of others, adding their own hashtag along with the name of the Facebook group I started on April 21, 2018, so that a photo can be taken and posted on the group for everyone to see that the stones they painted have been found and enjoyed by others, then re-hidden.

In just three months the number of people to join the group has reached 421, and every day photographs are posted to say that Peter Rabbit or Mrs Tiggywinkle have been found by smiling, happy children who have been out enjoying the fresh air, getting some exercise, and having a great time with mum, dad, aunty or Grandma.

They have been searching for painted stones, and hiding the masterpieces which they have created.

You can pick up a bag of stones in most garden centres for around £5-to-£6 a bag, and I buy tubes of acrylic paint for £2 from The Works, though you can find lots of smooth stones in the garden when digging.

So the outlay cost is very little and the rewards – like enjoying time with the children, getting some exercise whilst wandering around searching for stones and the fun hiding them – is worth the small cost involved.

Once you paint a base coat on the stones and allow it to dry they can be drawn on with markers such as Sharpies, and then a coat of outdoor varnish to protect your hard work and you are ready to go.

Have fun!

• Christine is the voice behind the blog ‘Ramblings of a grandma on a mobility scooter’