Artist gifts ‘pebbles with a purpose’

Sunday 10 May 2020

A local artist and former nurse has gifted 300 hand painted ‘thank you’ pebbles to frontline workers at the Jersey Hospital to spread kindness during the covid outbreak.

Pebble and sea glass artist Victoria Bardsley started by inviting islanders to take some painted pebbles from outside her home to spread some positivity during lockdown.

When this proved successful, Victoria got to work painting 300 pebbles throughout the Easter holidays and has gifted them to frontline workers at the hospital.

Part of her motivation for doing this, Victoria says, is her background as a staff nurse. 

Pictured: Victoria hopes her gesture will spread positivity amongst key health workers.

Commenting on her gesture, Victoria said: “I was a staff nurse for nearly 20 years and know how difficult it is to work gowned up with basic PPE and can't imagine how difficult and uncomfortable it must feel to care for patients which requires a frontline worker to wear such an intense level of PPE. I wanted to do something special for this group of front-line workers.” 

The pebbles have all been collected from Jersey beaches and each feature a hand-painted design and the words ‘thank you’. 

Everyone working at the hospital, including nurses, cleaners, porters, doctors and administrative staff, will receive a pebble.