This is why rainbows are appearing in the windows of homes around Burgess Hill

Rainbows have started appearing in the windows of homes in the last few days, as the community finds ways to spread a little happiness in uncertain times.

Mum-of-two Vicky Coleman-Smith said she was inspired to start a Facebook group called Chase the Rainbow - Burgess Hill, encouraging people to create colourful pieces of art and display them in their windows.

“Last week, when we started getting more serious about schools closing, I saw a page on Facebook about it,” she said.

“It gives people something to look for if they’re going for a walk, and adds a sense of purpose to it to be able to look at everyone’s rainbows.

Vicky, 38, has two children - Seb, 11, and Lewis, 6 - who have both made rainbows for their windows, and made a chalk rainbow on the wall of their house in Stirling Court Road.

She said: “We went for a walk at the weekend and posted in the group where we’d seen the rainbows.

“It was lovely, we only went on a very small walk and saw about five or six, but it’s even nice just to look out the windows and see them in our neighbours’ windows.

“In the Facebook group, we try to encourage people to post a photo of their rainbows and include their road names so people can have a slight route when they’re walking.”

Vicky said how another benefit to people posting them on Facebook is that even if people don’t see them while they’re walking, they can still see photos.

She said: “One of my neighbours said she wasn’t sure people would see her children’s rainbows, because they live in the corner of a cul-de-sac.

“We made the point of going to see them and her children were beside themselves knowing they’d been seen.

“It’s a lovely activity to do as a family as well, and to bond with the children over.

“It gives us a sense of purpose, and something productive to do during the lockdown.”

To join Chase the Rainbow - Burgess Hill click here.