AN ARTS group to help people with mental health problems has come up with a novel way of spreading its positive message.

Fledgling Arts Collective Central is getting involved with the Random Acts of Kindness initiative, aiming to spread joy into the lives of people who may need a little boost at a certain time in their life.

Its first act will be to send a luggage label with a compliment or uplifting message into the air attached to a balloon.

Other ideas include asking musicians to perform for people unexpectedly, cakes with a special message and a special Fledgling choir to spread the feel good factor.

Fledgling are a rapidly-growing online community who support people suffering from mental health issues by encouraging them creatively – currently they have more than 12,500 members.

Colchester’s Jewells Johnson, chief executive and founder of Fledgling Arts Collective Central (pictured), said: “Our community is made up of people who are passionate about the arts and compassionate about mental health.

“We are entirely volunteer-run by people who have experienced mental health struggles personally and we encourage our members to be cathARTic by expressing themselves in our online creative wings, poetry, photography, music, creative Journals and film.

“We simply encourage individuals to spread their creative wings and we have a team of volunteers who give positive and encouraging feedback.

“At Fledgling we believe there is always something good to say about what someone has created and we feel there are already many critics in the world and we offer something very different and unique.

“We want people to know that there is a sanctuary that is a buzzing hub of activity where they can feel part of an inclusive community and where we strongly believe in paying it forward and how this can have a ripple effect.

“We aim very much also to help build member’s self-esteem and being part of our community can have such a powerful and beneficial effect on mental health.”

The group are on the lookout for a space to meet up and organise events around Colchester. For more information visit: www.fledglingartscollectivecentral.com or www.facebook.com/Randomactsofkindnessatfledgling.