Spread a Smile is lucky enough to have some amazing volunteers who support us at our events and other key times of the year, including Christmas and Easter. Without them we simply would not be able to spread as many smiles as we do to seriously ill children and young people.
We chatted to one such volunteer, Alice Chennell about how she started volunteering for Spread a Smile and the impact it has made for her.
“I found out about Spread a Smile when the company I work for, Spring Finance, became a corporate partner of the charity. The Spread a Smile team visited our office to present at one of our company meetings, showcasing their work and how we could get involved. It seemed such an inspiring cause to support.
“In July I took the opportunity to volunteer for Spread a Smile’s annual Summer Party. It’s a huge event which sees over 400 children and families supported by the charity come together for a really special day out. There were all sorts of stalls and fun to be had and I helped set up and run the glitter tattoo station.
“The day went so quickly. It was breathtaking when you looked around at all the activities that were organised for the children. Being able to let the children forget about anything they have going on and just focus on a bit of fun was very rewarding for both myself and I think the respective adults that attended alongside them. I really enjoyed seeing their faces light up as they picked their favourite tattoo designs and watched them appear when the stencil was lifted. For days after I was finding glitter everywhere and it didn’t fail to make me smile.
“For me, the volunteering meant for a few moments I was able to give the children the option to make decisions for themselves. Let them pick out their design and colours and watch them walk away proud of their glitter tattoos. I think it was also lovely to see the adults watching the children enjoy themselves which wouldn’t be possible without Spread a Smile putting on such an awesome event and allowing me to be a part of it.”
Thank you to Alice and all of our wonderful volunteers for making our work spreading smiles possible.
Please email admin@spreadasmile.org if you or your company are interested in volunteering opportunities or partnering with Spread a Smile. Thank you.
