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Hannah Myers

Sushi Dog Event

 780 400 Hannah Myers
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We were delighted to celebrate another special milestone with our long-standing partners SushiDog, who hosted their first-ever charity night at their Warren Street site last Friday, raising an amazing £623 for Spread a Smile.

The evening brought together fundraising, food and plenty of fun, with guests enjoying bingo, a raffle, a DJ, collaborative drinks and plenty of SushiDog’s much-loved sushi. There was also a very special guest, with Thomas the Therapy Dog joining the celebrations and helping to spread even more smiles.

SushiDog have been long-standing supporters of Spread a Smile, generously providing a Sushi Dog stand at our annual Summer and Winter Parties over the years. Their delicious sushi has become a firm favourite with the families we support, helping to spread thousands of smiles at our family events.

More recently, SushiDog have sponsored Thomas the Therapy Dog, supporting his visits to children in hospital where he brings comfort, companionship and joy to seriously ill children at their bedsides.

We are incredibly grateful to the whole Sushi Dog team for their continued commitment to Spread a Smile and for finding new ways to support our work. Their first charity night was a fantastic opportunity to bring their team, customers and supporters together while raising vital funds to help us continue spreading smiles.

We’d also like to say a huge thank you to all the businesses and individuals who helped make the evening possible: Fresh Union, Collectiv, Ahi no Mochi, Joii, Lockdown Liquor, Anupam, Mixtons, Living Things, J&I Sounds, Isaac, and our wonderful DJs Delila and Daphne.

Thank you to everyone who came along, donated, volunteered or helped make the night such a success. We’re so grateful for your support.

If you’d like to find out more about partnering with Spread a Smile and supporting our work with seriously ill children and their families, please get in touch with rosie@spreadasmile.org

A special family afternoon at Riding House Cafe

 780 400 Hannah Myers
By:

Spread a Smile was delighted to welcome families to our annual afternoon tea, generously hosted by long-standing partner Riding House Café in Bloomsbury.

As part of our family events programme, the afternoon brought families we support together for a chance to relax, have fun and enjoy some special time away from the challenges of hospital and treatment.

There was plenty to keep everyone entertained, with delicious food alongside arts and crafts, face painting, scavenger hunt and silent disco.  The event welcomed around 60 family members, creating an opportunity for children, siblings and parents to spend time together, make memories and simply enjoy being a family.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to Jack and Jonny from WillU Group, who volunteered their time to help make the afternoon so special, and to the wonderful team at Riding House Café for making everyone so welcome.

Riding House Café has been a valued partner of Spread a Smile for many years, and we are incredibly grateful for their continued support and commitment to the families we support.

Events like this are only possible thanks to the generosity of our partners, supporters and volunteers. Their support helps us create opportunities for families to come together, have fun and make precious memories during incredibly difficult times.

To find out how you or your company can get involved with future events, please email fundraising@spreadasmile.org

The National Lottery Community Fund

 780 400 Hannah Myers
By:

Earlier this year we were delighted to receive a 12-month grant from The National Lottery Community Fund, to help fund Spread a Smile’s virtual music groups for seriously ill children.   

Grants from Trusts and Foundations are a vital source of funding for Spread a Smile, supporting targeted service provision, innovation and long-term planning for the charity.   

Our virtual sessions, enable children and their siblings to enjoy visits with our entertainers from any setting, wherever they are. We run four virtual music groups a week, tailored for younger children (aged 5–10), older children and teenagers (11+), and their siblings. Activities include singing, sensory music, and child-led song requests, ensuring inclusivity and creativity.  

Trusts and Foundations Manager, Kuljeet de Souza shared, “The sessions aim to support some of the most isolated children who are unable to attend school or see friends due to serious illness, immunocompromised conditions, or hospital stays. This isolation often leads to anxiety, depression, and developmental delays, with the virtual sessions offering moments of joy and connection, helping children cope with trauma and fear.” 

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players to support charities, community groups, and projects across the UK, helping people and communities to thrive.  

Julie Galano, Head of National Lottery Awards for All at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: 

“We’re proud to support this important project from Spread a Smile that we hope will bring moments of joy to children who are navigating some of life’s toughest challenges.  

“Thanks to the generosity of National Lottery players, over £17,000 will help to create a supportive and uplifting environment for children, bringing positivity and connection, and making their stay in hospital a little easier and less isolating. 

We are rooted in communities across the UK, covering every postcode; we are here for everyone and especially for those who need us the most.” 

We are extremely grateful for their support, helping ensure that our music groups continue to bring respite and fun to seriously ill children and their families when it’s needed most.  

If you know of a Trust of Foundation that can support Spread a Smile, we’d love to hear from you. Please email Kuljeet de Souza at kuljeet@spreadasmile.org to find out more.  

Find out about our North West Hub

 780 400 Hannah Myers
By:

Since expanding our service provision into the North West in 2022, Spread a Smile has been bringing joy, laughter and connection to seriously ill children and young people across the region through regular hospital visits, art initiatives and family support services.

Today, our dedicated North West Hub supports children and families at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, helping to ensure children receiving some of the most specialist treatment in the country have access to the impactful serviced Spread a Smile offers.

Every other week, our entertainers visit both hospitals, delivering personalised bedside visits filled with music, magic, storytelling, bubbles and creativity. These moments of joy provide welcome distraction from treatment, helping to reduce anxiety, combat isolation and create lasting memories for children and their families.

Amy Berry, Visit Manager for the North West, said: “When I found out that Spread a Smile were hoping to expand their visits up north, I jumped at the chance to offer my help. Developing connections with families has been the most rewarding experience. We often see the same families on visits and seeing their faces light up when we come into the room is beautiful. For the time we’re with them, they have a chance to escape and simply be children again.”

Alongside our entertainer visits, we’re proud to support children receiving treatment at The Christie Proton Beam Therapy Centre, one of only two NHS Proton Beam Therapy centres in the UK treating children and young people with complex cancers . Working alongside hospital teams and the patients themselves, our artist Esther transforms radiotherapy masks into colourful, personalised works of art, helping children feel more comfortable and confident as they prepare for treatment. 

Esther said: “Painting the masks is very special to me because they can look clinical and intimidating for a child. Having the masks painted with their favourite things makes them personal and comforting. For me, it’s a privilege to work with such an amazing charity and to see the smiles and joy we bring to children and families going through difficult times.”

The impact of Spread a Smile’s work is felt not only by the children and families we support, but also by the hospital teams we work alongside.

Justine Louise Makin, Play Service Manager at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to Spread a Smile for the wonderful input we have received from the charity so far. The kind and generous donations have been invaluable in providing our children and young people with fun and joy during their stay in hospital. Being in hospital is difficult at any time, therefore receiving the amazing toys, activities, materials and equipment that Spread a Smile provide has really put a smile on their faces and helped towards recovery, recuperation and rehabilitation.”

As our North West Hub continues to grow, so does our ambition. We’re committed to expanding our services to reach even more seriously ill children and young people across the region, while building partnerships with local businesses, supporters and communities who share our vision of spreading smiles where they’re needed most.

You can help us achieve our aims in a number of ways:

  • If your company is based in the North West and would like to make a positive impact for families with seriously ill children in your community, we’d love to hear from you. Our partnerships are engaging, unique and built on a mutual understanding of support and success. Reach out to our Partnerships Manager, Rosie Perkins to get the ball rolling – rosie@spreadasmile.org
  • Donate today and help ensure we can continue to deliver our services in the North West and beyond. 
  • Fancy a fundraising challenge? Take a look at ideas to get involved here, or get in touch with our fundraising team at fundraising@spreadasmile.org to chat about your ideas and plans. 

Whatever you do, you’ll be helping us reach even more seriously ill children, young people and their families during the most difficult times. Thank you.

Spread a Smile Appeal 2026 - Thank you

Thank you for helping us spread smiles

 780 400 Hannah Myers
By:

Thanks to the incredible kindness and generosity of our supporters, the Spread a Smile Appeal has so far raised an amazing £207,445.

Over five days, so many people came together to support our appeal – becoming Appeal Champions, fundraising, donating and sharing our message. Every contribution, no matter the size, has helped us reach this incredible total and will make a lasting difference to the seriously ill children, young people and families we support.

Every year, tens of thousands of seriously ill children spend months on hospital wards, cut off from the ordinary joys of childhood. No play dates. No school trips. No sense of normality. Just clinical routines, uncertainty, and fear.

The incredible amount raised through the appeal will help make sure our entertainers can continue to bring personalised, joyful experiences directly to children’s bedsides in NHS hospitals and hospices. It will enable to us provide a familiar, joyful presence at one of the most frightening times of a child’s life, through:

In-person hospital visits

Our talented entertainers, including musicians, magicians, artists, fairies and therapy dogs, will visit children across 39 NHS hospital and six hospice partners, helping to reduce anxiety, combat isolation and create moments of joy during treatment.

Virtual services

Families will be able to access a range of individual and group entertainer sessions online from in hospital or at home, including music, magic, storytelling, arts and crafts and more.

Art initiatives

Our art programmes encourage children going through the unimaginable to express themselves through art and play, providing welcome distraction, and helping to build confidence. We will also continue to support children receiving radiotherapy treatment through bespoke painting of radiotherapy masks.

Family events and outings

From trips to the theatre, brunches and afternoon teas, to our much-loved Summer and Winter Parties, our calendar of exciting family events provide opportunities for seriously ill children to spend precious time with their families, having fun together and make lasting memories beyond hospital walls.

Lucy Jackson, Chief Executive of Spread a Smile, said:

“We have been completely blown away by the kindness and generosity shown throughout the appeal. To know that so many people chose to support our work means more to us than we can say.

“Thanks to you, we will be able to spread so many smiles to seriously ill children and young people in hospital, bringing joy, laughter and connection to them and their families through some of their toughest days.”

To everyone who supported the Spread a Smile Appeal, thank you for believing in our work and helping us continue to spread smiles where they’re needed most. We look forward to sharing the difference your support will make throughout the coming year and please sign up to our e-newsletter to stay up to date with our work, the difference we are making and how you or your company can get involved.

Entertainer Spotlight: Sar and Elsie

 780 400 Hannah Myers
By:

Sar with the Guitar and Elsie the Star!

Spread a Smile’s entertainers bring joy, laughter and connection to seriously ill children and young people through music, magic, storytelling, art and therapy dogs. This month, we’re shining a spotlight on one of our longest-serving entertainers, Sar, and her four-legged companion, Elsie.

Sar joined Spread a Smile in 2013, just six months after the charity was founded, and has been helping to spread smiles ever since.

Reflecting on her early days with the charity, Sar said: “I joined Spread a Smile in 2013, 6 months after the charity first started. It’s been incredible to see how much the charity has grown since those early days and witness first-hand the impact it has made on thousands of seriously ill children and their families over the years.”

Using music to connect with children and families has always been at the heart of Sar’s work.

“I loved the idea of using my skills playing the guitar and singing nursery rhymes to support children and families during incredibly difficult times – creating moments of joy, laughter, and normality for young people in hospital.”

Music has played an important role throughout Sar’s life. Growing up in a musical family, with both parents playing the piano, she learnt to play the guitar from the age of 12 and developed a passion for singing and amateur dramatics. Following the birth of her first child in 1997, Sar and her twin sister founded Little Stars, a music group for babies and toddlers, which they ran for 16 years.

Over the past 12 years, Sar has seen Spread a Smile grow from supporting children at one hospital to reaching thousands of children and families across the country.

“When I first joined the charity, we were only entertaining in Great Ormond Street Hospital, but even then, the heart and purpose behind the work were very clear. Over the past 12 years I have seen SAS expand into another 38 hospitals and 6 hospices, offering a wider range of services and events to the children and families we support. What has never changed is the importance of connection. A visit from the entertainers can completely change the atmosphere of a hospital room creating magical moments and memories.”

Throughout her visits, Sar has witnessed first-hand the difference that entertainment can make during difficult times.

“There have been so many memorable moments over the years. One of the most special things is seeing a child who is withdrawn and

anxious suddenly light up through music, bubbles, and interaction.

I have met many families who were going through incredibly difficult times and hearing them say that a visit gave them a moment of relief, or that they haven’t seen their child smile or laugh in weeks is something I never forget.”

For Sar, the relationships built along the way are one of the most rewarding parts of being a Spread a Smile entertainer and when asked what she enjoys most about being part of Spread a Smile she says: “The people, without question. I love building connections with children, families, hospital staff and of course the other entertainers. It is incredibly rewarding to know that something as simple as music and conversation can make someone’s day a little brighter.”

Meet Elsie

Alongside her guitar, Sar is now joined by Elsie, a Maltipoo therapy dog who is already helping to spread smiles on hospital visits.

Elsie loves chicken and treats, going for walks, sleeping, spending time with her best friend Bamba and climbing onto Sar for cuddles first thing in the morning. Although Sar originally wanted to call her CeCe, her family had other ideas and Elsie now answers to a variety of nicknames including Elsielee, Else, Neesha and Snooies.

“After seeing the other gorgeous Spread a Smile therapy dogs in action, I knew Elsie would be a perfect fit for the job. Elsie has a naturally calm, gentle temperament. She is affectionate, patient, sociable and very responsive to people’s emotions. Becoming a therapy dog felt like a wonderful way for her to bring comfort and happiness to others.”

To become a therapy dog, Elsie completed a series of assessments designed to test her temperament and suitability for hospital environments.

“Elsie began her journey to becoming a pet therapy dog with an assessment in the park, where we met with a representative who asked a series of questions about her temperament and behaviour. After observing her and discussing her personality she successfully passed the assessment.

The next stage of her training took place at GOSH where she was assessed again. I walked Elsie around a ward so she could experience the hospital environment, meet patients and families. Elsie remained calm, friendly, and confident throughout, demonstrating the qualities needed to provide comfort to those in hospital.”

Together, Sar and Elsie are helping to create moments of comfort, connection and joy for children and families when they need them most.

A huge thank you to Sar and Elsie for helping us spread smiles to seriously ill children across the country.

Please donate today and help ensure our therapy dogs can continue to bring joy and comfort when it’s needed most.

Our entertainers – Meet Storyteller Posey

 780 400 Hannah Myers
By:

Stories can transport us to new worlds, spark imagination and provide comfort during difficult times. For children spending long periods in hospital, they can also offer moments of connection, calm and normality when they are needed most.

This month, we’re shining a spotlight on Posey, one of Spread a Smile’s professional storytellers, who has been bringing stories, smiles and imagination to the children and families we support for almost four years.

Posey joined Spread a Smile in September 2022 and quickly found a charity whose mission perfectly aligned with her own passion for storytelling and childhood creativity.

“As a children’s storyteller, I am really passionate about the magic that stories and reading offer a child, and I love the Spread a Smile mission. It’s so simple and completely aligns with how I describe myself, which is ‘childlike, not childish’. Tapping into the joy of reading and sharing stories is something I have worked to do for nearly 30 years in a wide range of settings and roles. Offering entertainment to children in hospital is more than just giving a bit of fun – it’s the chance to let the power of imagination into your heart and mind.”

With an MA in Children’s Literature from Roehampton University and a career spanning libraries, schools and bookstores in both the UK and the United States, Posey has dedicated much of her professional life to helping children discover a love of books and stories.

Today, she delivers online storytimes, one-to-one virtual sessions and regular hospital visits for Spread a Smile, sharing stories with children of all ages. She also visits paediatric and neonatal intensive care units, where storytelling can provide valuable opportunities for connection between children and their families.

Posey has also played an important role in helping to develop Spread a Smile’s Intensive Care Library Project, which provides dedicated book libraries within NHS hospital partners for families with children receiving intensive and high dependency care.

The project aims to help families access the comfort and familiarity of reading together during long hospital stays, creating special moments of connection through stories.

“As one of the team who helped create the Intensive Care Library Project, it’s still such a privilege to walk onto a ward and see the bookcase full of books that I grew up with, or read to my own son, knowing that other parents have an easy and powerful way to connect with their own child. There’s no simpler way to express your love and connection with a baby or child than to read to them and share a story.”

Storytelling is increasingly recognised as an important part of supporting children’s emotional wellbeing in hospital. Research has shown that reading and storytelling can help reduce anxiety, fear and stress, while improving mood, sleep and overall wellbeing. Stories can also help children process difficult experiences, understand medical procedures and maintain a sense of childhood during treatment.

“There’s an increasing body of evidence demonstrating how storytelling and reading can have a significant positive impact on seriously ill children in hospital. Some studies have even found measurable biological benefits, such as lower stress hormone levels and increased feelings of comfort and connection, so when I say there’s science behind the power of listening to a story, it’s true.”

Throughout her time with Spread a Smile, Posey has seen first-hand the difference that stories can make to children and families.

“There’s a family who regularly join my virtual storytimes because they tell me how much my voice soothes and relaxes their daughter, which is a huge compliment for a child who lives primarily in a medical setting. Other parents share how much fun I am, and how their child now reads or asks for books to be read using my same silly voices and expressions. And of course, meeting brand new babies in the NICU and having the privilege of reading them their first-ever story just makes my heart sing.”

For Posey, being a storyteller at Spread a Smile is about far more than simply reading words on a page.

“Books is too obvious an answer, because my role with Spread a Smile is more than just reading words on a page – it’s bringing stories to life, to children who need them, in a way that provides them with exactly the right kind of entertainment. That’s what really sets Spread a Smile apart – everyone is so intuitive and focused on being exactly what a child or baby needs at a particular point in time. The work never feels like work – it’s just the very best way to try to make a child’s world a better place for even a few minutes.”

A huge thank you to Posey for helping children and families find comfort, connection and joy through the power of storytelling.

To find out more about our work, please click here.

International Day of Play 2026

 780 400 Hannah Myers
By:

On Thursday 11 June, we celebrated International Day of Play – a global initiative, recognised by the United Nations, which highlights the essential role of play in every child’s life.

The day is an important reminder that all children have a right to play and that opportunities for fun, creativity and connection are vital for children’s wellbeing and development. At Spread a Smile, helping seriously ill children access the benefits of play is at the heart of everything we do, particularly at a time when hospital stays, treatment and isolation can make these experiences more difficult to access.

To mark International Day of Play, Spread a Smile entertainers Posey, Leanne and Mitra joined the Play Team at St Mary’s Hospital for a day of fun and laughter across the wards. Through storytelling, songs, comedy, games and imaginative play, they spent time with children and families, creating moments of joy, distraction and connection throughout the hospital.

A particular focus of the day was ensuring that children who may find it harder to access play opportunities, including those in isolation rooms, could also take part. Through bedside visits and personalised interactions, the team helped ensure as many children as possible could experience the fun and benefits of play.

Supporting opportunities for play is a key part of Spread a Smile’s work in NHS hospitals and hospices across the country. In 2025/26, we delivered In 2025–26, we delivered over 18,411 in-person bedside visits and over 2,860 virtual visits, in partnership with 39 NHS hospitals and six hospice partners, helping thousands of seriously ill children and young people access moments of joy, creativity and connection when they needed them most.

Laura Walter, Director of Services at Spread a Smile, said:

“International Day of Play is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate something that is so important to every child – play. Play is about so much more than having fun – it helps children express themselves, build confidence, reduce their anxiety and create positive memories.

“At Spread a Smile, play is at the heart of our work. Every day, we work closely with the brilliant play teams across our NHS hospital partners, providing different forms of entertainment and play experiences. It’s been wonderful celebrating International Day of Play alongside the fantastic Play Team at St Mary’s Hospital.”

A huge thank you to the Play Team at St Mary’s Hospital for inviting us to be part of such a special day and for the incredible support they provide to children and families throughout the year.

Happy International Day of Play from everyone at Spread a Smile.

To donate to ensure we can continue our vital work, please click here

First in-person visit to Wales

 780 400 Hannah Myers
By:

We were delighted to make our first ever in-person visit to Wales on Friday 5 June, with a special entertainer visit to Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

Joined by our Chief Executive, Lucy Jackson, our fairy and magicians visited seriously ill children across the paediatric ward and playroom, bringing moments of laughter, connection and joy.

We were also delighted to welcome Wrexham Member of Parliament, Andrew Ranger MP, alongside Members of the Senedd, Ken Skates MS, Sam Rowlands MS, Cristiana Emsley MS and Nigel Williams MS. Together, they spent time with our entertainers and the hospital and play team, seeing first-hand the positive impact that Spread a Smile makes through play, creativity and connection for children and young people in hospital.

The visit marked a special milestone in a partnership that began during the Covid pandemic. Since October 2021, Spread a Smile has delivered dedicated fortnightly virtual entertainment sessions for patients at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, with the play team taking an iPad bed to bed so that children can enjoy one-to-one time with our entertainers. Patients have also joined our virtual group sessions, while long-term patients and their families have been supported through home visits and special gift hampers.

Rebecca Morris, Children’s Ward Manager, said: “Time in hospital can be long and frightening for a child, and the visits from Spread a Smile give our patients something to genuinely look forward to. Having the entertainers here in person was a real treat for the children and their families, and it was wonderful to share the day with our local representatives.”

Lucy Jackson, Chief Executive of Spread a Smile, added: “Wales has been part of Spread a Smile for nearly four years, so to finally be at the bedside in person at Wrexham Maelor means a great deal to us. Watching a child who has been having a tough day light up when a magician or our singing fairy arrives is something I never tire of. 

“Our thanks go to the play team, who have championed this partnership from the very start, and to the children and families who made us so welcome.” 

A special thank you to Andrew Ranger MP, Ken Skates MS, Sam Rowlands MS, Cristiana Emsley MS and Nigel Williams MS. Also, to the Play Team and staff at Wrexham Maelor for helping to make the day such a success.

Family Events – May roundup

 780 400 Hannah Myers
By:

Throughout May, Spread a Smile hosted a series of special family events, giving seriously ill children and their families the opportunity to step away from treatment and hospital appointments to enjoy quality time together, make happy memories and simply have fun.

From a magical trip to see The Lion King in London’s West End to a fun-filled cinema outing during half-term, each event was designed to create moments of joy, connection and togetherness for the families we support.

On Wednesday 13 May, families joined Spread a Smile at the Lyceum Theatre in London for a special performance of The Lion King.

Before the show, families enjoyed a pre-theatre party with pizza, Lola’s Cupcakes and entertainment from our Spread a Smile team. Mr Magic brought plenty of laughter and amazement with his brilliant tricks, Rosie led singalongs featuring Lion King classics, and Marta added extra sparkle with her face painting before families headed into the theatre for the performance.

Following the show, families also had the chance to meet members of the cast, making the day even more memorable.

Karen, mum of Max, shared: “It was so special – Max and I will treasure it always. It was just a dream to do something special with Max after all he has been through. Also, for Max and the other children to be treated like the VIPs that they are.”

Jo, mum of Etta, added: “Etta loved absolutely every single second of it – particularly the wonderful magician who she thought was hilarious. You guys are fantastic, a lifelong, complex medical condition doesn’t really bring many benefits to a family but getting to do things with spread a smile is most definitely a wonderful positive from a rubbish situation. We think you are all fabulous and thank you for giving us the opportunity to come along.”

Later in the month for half-term, we welcomed 51 children and family members to Everyman Cinema in King’s Cross for a screening of Zootropolis 2.

Families enjoyed a fun-packed afternoon complete with magic, music and plenty of delicious treats including popcorn, pizza, sweets and Lola’s Cupcakes before settling down together to enjoy the film.

One parent shared afterwards: “Thank you so much for yesterday, was such a wonderful time and was Albie’s first time at the cinema so thank you for making that happen. Thanks for all your support and amazing work you guys do once again!”

Ellie Walker, Head of Family Events at Spread a Smile, said:

“This is exactly why we create these days – to spread smiles, give families a chance to pause, and let children simply be children. Seeing families connect and share these moments together is incredibly special.”

Alongside these family outings, May also saw Spread a Smile host its annual memorial event, A Time To Remember supporting families who have experienced the loss of a child and ensuring they continue to feel supported and connected as part of the Spread a Smile community.

A huge thank you to those who helped make our May family events possible, including Clarksons, Disney, Everyman Cinema and Lola’s Cupcakes.

If you are a family with a seriously ill children who would like to find out more about our events, please email smile@spreadasmile.org – thank you.

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