Cirencester: Town's kindness project puts smiles on faces

Cirencester residents including Laura Date (left) have been the grateful recipients of the flowers dotted around the town

A project to spread happiness through random acts of kindness is putting smiles on faces in Cirencester.

Colourful bunches of flowers and uplifting handwritten notes are among the items being left around the town.

Jenny Webster launched the Cirencester Kindness Project and said the response from the community has been "amazing".

Laura Date, who found a bouquet of flowers while walking with her children, said: "It just made us smile. It's such a selfless and kind act."

The project began on Friday when Ms Webster left the first bunch of flowers in a seating area near New Brewery Arts.

She said she was inspired by a similar project in London after seeing the difference it made to her sister's day when she found a bouquet.

The bouquets include handwritten notes to the person who finds them

"I've dropped off three bunches of flowers, but it doesn't have to be flowers, it can be anything.

"Two recipients got in touch and sent me pictures. It's really lovely to hear the stories and discover who finds them.

"It makes a difference, especially in these times when we really need cheering up," Ms Webster said.

Walkers who found one of the bouquets in the Abbey Grounds displayed their own act of kindness by giving the flowers to a woman in a mobility scooter who was passing at the same time.

People who find the bouquets are encouraged to keep the chain going by making their own random act of kindness

Ms Webster said it was about spreading joy and encouraged as many people as possible to get involved.

"Tag the Cirencester Kindness Project and keep inspiring others to be kind to each other and hopefully the chain will continue by itself," she added.

Ms Date found a bouquet while exploring the area having recently moved to Cirencester and said the project had "touched a lot of people".

"We came across the most beautiful bouquet of flowers perched on a bench next to the river.

"It's a really warm community and this is an example of the kindness we have found here," she said.