Mother's plea for cheer leads to Chase the Rainbow campaign

Mother’s plea to cheer up the community leads to thousands of households across the UK putting children’s rainbow paintings in their windows

• Alice Aske, 34, created the Chase The Rainbow campaign to entertain children
• It is still unclear for how long children will be off school after they closed today
• Many parents are working from home and trying to find activities for their kids
• Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

A mother’s plea for cheer in spite of the gloom of the coronavirus pandemic has lead thousands of households across the UK to place kids’ drawings of rainbows in their windows ‘to brighten the community.’ 

With children and parents facing what could be months at home with little to do, Alice Aske, from Somerset, created a Facebook group called Chase The Rainbow encouraging families to tape hand-painted drawings of rainbows in their windows.

The trend which sees people spot the pictures as they go on social distancing walks around their local communities has become an overnight success. 

Alice, 34, spotted the idea online and decided to set up a group for her local area, which has now grown to nearly 65,000 members in just 24 hours.

One of the hand-painted rainbows placed in a window for children to spot as they walk past each others homes. The campaign has engaged parents and their children alike

The mother-of-two created the page and wrote: ‘Our children soon won’t be able to see their friends. Create a rainbow picture to display in your window so that children can go rainbow spotting whilst out for walks.’

Alice added: ‘My daughter expressed how she was sad that she won’t be able to see her friends. We love being involved in Somerset rocks where you paint rocks for people to find. But we needed something that you weren’t touching for fear of passing on the virus.

‘This also means that if you are isolating, you can give people a wave if they have a rainbow in the window.’

Alice, a play therapist, is planning on continuing to paint a ‘ginormous’ rainbow for their landing window as soon as her seven-year-old daughter finishes school on Friday afternoon.

It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the schools will be shut for the majority of pupils from Friday but not for those of key workers and for vulnerable kids.

One parent Eleanor Sheffield, from Shrewsbury in Shropshire, said she is already at home and in quarantine with her two children Ruby, six, and William, two-years-old, due to their low immune systems.

She joined the rainbow campaign and is hoping to brighten the local community during this difficult time.

Alice Aske’s post started an overnight sensation with many parents grateful to have a wholesome task they can complete with their children whilst they stay at home from school

Another one of the many rainbows drawn by children who are off from school due to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s unclear when exactly children will be allowed to go back to school

Eleanor said: ‘We live in an area with lots of elderly and the children are aiming to brighten the spirits of the community. I don’t want my children missing out on an education so I am homeschooling them daily too but including something creative and fun each day to give us all something positive to look at.

‘My daughter is especially loving people walking by smiling and pointing at the rainbow and in turn giving them a little wave which is brightening both her day and others!’ 

Candy Boyle and her daughter Chloe from Feltham said they were simply trying to ‘brighten someone’s day by putting rainbows in their windows.’

Alexandra Bowen, 31, said she was using the campaign to show her children that despite not being able to go to school and communicate in usual ways, there are other ways to continue spreading kindness.

A home with two hand-drawn rainbows placed in its windows as part of Chase The Rainbow

A little girl draws a rainbow on her driveway as part of the Chase the Rainbow campaign

Alexandra, a mum-of-two from Hockley in Essex, said she is also helping her 7-year-old son Jake and 3-year-old toddler Callum with autism donate their old toys to others less fortunate.

She added: ‘We are doing this to show the kids that although you can’t be in school with your friends, you can still communicate in different ways and be kind and bring a smile to people’s faces.

‘My youngest has autism and it’s important to keep occupied and busy as he needs structure and routine to his day. They are both so excited to go for a walk and count the rainbows.’

Lauren James, 34, from Caerphilly in South Wales said that despite her daughter Matilda Rose Watson, six, and her son Sam Archie Watson, five, being kept away from the fears of coronavirus, they are aware of what is going on.

Laura continued: ‘I haven’t said too much to them about what is going on right now but they are aware they may be away from school for some time. I thought this was a lovely way to keep children and friends connected during an uncertain time.’

Her little girl Matilda added: ‘We can’t go to school because of the virus so when people and our friends go past our house, they can spot our rainbows!’

And her little brother Sam insisted their rainbow creations will make people happy.

Thousands of parents across the country are sharing their rainbow creations and encouraging families to go on social distancing walks through their local communities for a breath of fresh air.

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