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Michael Rosen supports library project launch

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For World Book Day on 6 March 2025, Spread a Smile is proud to launch our Intensive Care Library Project, with the support of acclaimed British author, poet, and broadcaster, Michael Rosen.

The project will see Spread a Smile donate 20 book libraries to 13 NHS hospitals for families with children on intensive care and high dependency units to use and enjoy.

When a child is diagnosed with a serious illness, life can become very unsettled, scary and unfamiliar, controlled by schedules, treatment plans and prolonged hospital stays away from family and friends. Through our libraries, Spread a Smile will provide a way for children and their families to find comfort and calm through the familiar activity of reading together.

To launch the project, Spread a Smile’s Chief Executive, Lucy Jackson, and Visit Manager Debbie Tropp who spearheaded the project, were joined by Michael Rosen on a visit to an intensive care ward at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, one of the charity’s NHS hospital partners.

Michael said “Reading is an incredibly powerful art form which enables us to explore and access so many exciting subjects and adventures. From the day a baby is born, they are soaking up the sounds, sights, smells, tastes and touch of the world around them. Reading with children is a wonderful way of connecting with them, giving them something interesting to focus on, engage with and learn from. This shared experience can bring so much to both the child and the person reading to them as both are captured in that moment of discovery, sharing reactions and emotions as the story progresses.

“I am delighted to support the charity Spread a Smile as they launch their Intensive Care Library Project which will see 20 book libraries, filled with books and donated to 13 NHS hospitals for families with children on intensive care and high dependency units to borrow. Even in these most difficult of settings, where children are extremely unwell, parents and carers will be able to bring the wonder of reading to their child’s bedside, finding an opportunity to sit and share in the familiar act of reading together. It is a very special initiative which I have no doubt will bring a lot of comfort and one I am proud to be involved with.” 

Michael met staff on the ward, hearing how valuable the libraries will be for them and had the chance to see Spread a Smile singer and entertainer Rosie in action. He also met some of the families with children PCCU, with the highlight of the afternoon being when families sat together for a special reading by Michael of his famous book ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’.

Selena, mother of 3-month-old Otis, said: “It was so nice to feel like we’re doing something normal that you do with your baby, because everything is so clinical. It’s all wires and stats so to just be parents with your baby having a story read is lovely.”

Alex, Otis’s dad, said: “We’ve been reading to Otis pretty much every day. We’re getting through the Roald Dahls and obviously we’ve read Going on a Bear Hunt a lot. It’s just great to take a moment to try and have a bit of normality.”

Janet Powell, Director of Nursing at Evelina London, said: “We are so grateful to Spread a Smile for this generous donation and brightening our week with this fantastic event. Michael Rosen has authored some of our patients’ favourite children’s books, and it was such a privilege to have him come read to us.

“At Evelina London, we are dedicated to ensuring that children have the best possible experience in hospital. Our visits from Spread a Smile help create a relaxing environment and bring so much joy to all the patients, families and staff on our wards.”

Alongside Evelina London, 12 other NHS hospitals across the country will receive book libraries including Great Ormond Street Hospital, Southampton Children’s Hospital Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

Spread a Smile Chief Executive, Lucy Jackson said, “The Spread a Smile Intensive Care Library Project is an exciting new initiative which will provide an invaluable resource for families with children on intensive care and high dependency units in NHS hospitals across the country.

“When a child is in intensive care, it can be an extremely stressful and worrying time for the whole family. The familiar act of reading together can provide emotional comfort and connection, helping to alleviate some of the stress of what is going is going in the hospital setting.

“We hope that families receiving treatment at our NHS hospital partners find the resource useful and we are extremely grateful to renowned author Michael Rosen for joining us at Evelina London to help launch our first libraries.”

The majority of books for the libraries have been generously donated by the charity Emmie’s Books, which was set up by Lindsay and Andy McPartland whose daughter Emmie was diagnosed with cancer when she was 14 weeks old. Spread a Smile has supported Emmie, now 5, and her family since her diagnosis, with Mum Lindsay saying, “Spread a Smile has been there for all of us through our darkest days, constantly making us smile. We are so happy to be able to give something back through Emmie’s Books, the charity we set up in 2021 in Emmie’s name to provide children’s books for little warriors in hospital and their families.”

We are grateful to publishers Penguin, Macmillan and Scholastic who have all donated books for the libraries. Also to John and Chris from Norseman Direct for supporting the creation and delivery of the bookcases.

A huge thank you to everyone who has made this initiative possible, the Evelina London for hosting our launch and Michael Rosen for bringing his passion and love of books to our visit, leaving families with many happy memories of a special time together.

Beyond Blocks family event

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Earlier this week we teamed up with robotic LEGO company, Beyond Blocks to hold our first ever workshop using LEGO bricks to inspire learning in programming, engineering and design.

10 patients joined us at Chainalysis in Holborn, who generously hosted the event and Andy from Beyond Blocks led the creative session, with guests pairing up and working together to build a robot from LEGO, before using a coding app to bring it to life. They were then set a series of challenges including getting their robot to move forward and backwards, stopping and using a sensor to train the robot to stop when it reached the edge of the table.

Guests were so absorbed by the activities that they didn’t want to stop for lunch, but as soon as they saw the pizzas, snacks and delicious cupcakes from Lola’s cupcakes, the transition was much easier.

After the break, the team came back to face an even bigger challenge where they had to get their robots to manoeuvre around a course, joining their robots together and creating a coding system that allowed the robot to turn corners. The atmosphere in the room was fantastic, especially when one of the tasks was achieved, with cheers and fist pumps galore.

Our family events provide wonderful opportunities for unwell children and their families to spend time together having fun, made possible by our amazing donors, fundraisers and supporters.

Thank you to Chainalysis for hosting us so generously, providing lunch and kindly giving each guest their very own Circuit Cube Space Rover as a going home gift. Also to Beyond Blocks for the brilliant session.

Find out more about our work supporting families with seriously ill children and young people here.

February 2025 newsletter

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Our February supporter newsletter is here!

Take a look for all the latest from Spread a Smile including…

  • News on our two latest hospital partners
  • The latest on our family events and half-term activities
  • Kian’s story for International Epilepsy Day
  • Launch of our two 2025 Padel Tournaments
  • An update on our Real Estate Committee
  • More on the London to Brighton bike ride in July
  • Freddie and Richard’s story, from support to fundraising

We hope you enjoy reading our latest newsletter and if you’re not already receiving it, you can sign up here.

Half-term family fun for all

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Our services team pulled out all the stops to help spread smiles during the February half-term holiday, with a huge range of different events and virtual sessions for the families we support to join.

Our Family Events team organised two brilliant outings, kicking off with a special chocolate making workshop at MyChocolate in London. Our guests experienced making all sorts of treats including delicious chocolate truffles, with the chocolatier guiding them through each step, from piping the chocolate to rolling it to their desired shape and finally coating the truffles in cocoa powder before topping it with edible decorations. There was chocolate everywhere and it was a brilliant day filled with smiles and laughter. You can read more about it here.

We welcomed families for a fun-filled Valentines Party at the Brunswick Art Gallery on Thursday, filled with lots of valentines themed art activities, treats, music and entertainment. So much fun was had by everyone and as one Mum said, “What a wonderful day full of crafting, fun, laughter, trickery, music and happy proud tears!”

Our virtual sessions also helped to keep everyone entertained from home or hospital, with so many different activities to choose from for all ages. They included LEGO, calligraphy, dance and story writing workshops, magic and music sessions, art workshops, fairy sessions and so much more. All family members were welcome to join in and the fact that they were virtual meant that they could be accessed from any location (with WiFi!) across the country.

We know that school holidays can add extra layers when looking after children, so our events and virtual sessions aim to support families with seriously ill children during these times, giving access to fun and distracting activities.

We can’t thank all those who donate and fundraise for us for enabling us to continue to provide these vital services.

Valentine’s event gets the party started

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On Thursday 20 February Spread a Smile held a brilliant Valentine’s Party at the Brunswick Art Gallery for some of the seriously ill children we support and their families.

The day was filled with lots of valentine’s themed art activities including canvas painting, coaster designing and decorating heart shaped trinket boxes with gems, sequins and heart shaped stickers. There was also a ‘selfie mirror’ with props, a DJ and live singer, a magic show from Mr Magic, face painting, and a scavenger hunt.

Our guests enjoyed a sweet stand, pizza, chicken and chips and yummy cupcakes and brownies, generously donated by our friends at Lola’s Cupcakes.

Towards the end of the party, everyone had the chance to have a go on the DJ decks and sing songs of their choice which was such a special moment as everyone gather around and cheered one another on. From ‘Popular’ to ‘Let it Go’ with a bit of AC/DC thrown in too – the families all clapped and cheered as the children felt comfortable enough to sing in front of everyone. It was a really special moment for everyone in the room.

This was Spread a Smile’s second time hosting an event at the Brunswick Art Gallery and the day was summed up by Mum Claire and her daughter Eva who sent us the following message after the event:

“What a wonderful day full of crafting, fun, laughter, trickery, music and happy proud tears!

“Each child and their family was made feel so special and encouraged and as always are bellies and hearts were filled. From Tik Toks to DJ-ing, Karaoke and Broadway showcases, the talent and encouragement in the room was something to behold.

“Spread a Smile doesn’t just spread smiles, they spread confidence and create a safe space no matter the venue for children and families to become so comfortable that barriers drop and families support each other.

“Hospitals and treatments in their nature create isolation which can hinder children in their ability to interact with their peers. They can lose out on forming and building these key skills, but Spread a Smile helps to rebuild their resilience.

“Over the last year we have seen our shy and reserved child blossom into a more confident pre-teen. To see her supporting the magician and leading the room in a song was monumental. We are very lucky to have you all championing each child to remember what childhood should and can be – FUN!”

Every year, Spread a Smile organises events like this to support families with seriously ill children. They range from art events, to theatre trips, foodie experiences, zoo outings and so much more and it’s thanks to our generous supporters and fundraisers that we are able to continue to provide these important experiences for families going through the worst of times.

Please do get in touch to find out more about our events or how you can get involved to support this vital work which brings joy and happiness during the darkest of times.

Fundraiser Richard Hearn goes the extra mile

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This year, Spread a Smile will welcome our largest team of runners for the iconic London Marathon, all of whom are taking on the challenge to help raise vital funds for our work spreading smiles to seriously ill children and young people.

One of our runners, Richard Hearn, has a very special motivation for joining Team Smile and we spoke to Richard about how he came to get involved.

“I’m the Manager for Witham Town football club in Essex and about 18 months ago I met a young lad called Freddie. Freddie had been diagnosed with cancer and was going through treatment and some really tough times. His Mum, Charmaine, brought him along to training as he’s a huge football fan and even though he was going through weekly chemo, Freddie would come to training and for games whenever he could.

“I got to know Freddie and Charmaine really well and Freddie formed a close bond with my son Josh, who is a year older than him. Freddie is so brave and joins in with training as much as possible, supporting me and the team. He’s so inspiring and that motivated me to want to support him and give something back. When I mentioned it to Charmaine she told me about Spread a Smile and explained how important the charity has been to Freddie and the family and how much they have helped him.

“So, I reached out to the team at Spread a Smile and was lucky enough to get a London Marathon place. So far I’ve raised around £2,000 through my JustGiving page and training has been going pretty well. I got up to a half marathon at Christmas and although a few injuries have set me back a little, I’m determined to do it and Freddie is always in the back of my mind driving me on.

“I really wanted to do as much as possible for Freddie, so I also organised a fundraising event at our local golf club, to try and raise a bit more for Spread a Smile, a few other local charities and also to send Freddie and his family on a holiday. The event was a huge success with the local community really getting behind it and 330 tickets sold. In total we raised a huge amount from the event, donating £2,500 to Spread a Smile to help this brilliant charity spread smiles to even more seriously ill children and young people. Around 130 raffle prizes were donated for the raffle and auctions and we’re so grateful to everyone who supported us on the night, buying tickets, donating prizes and giving what they could. It really was incredible to see so many people coming together to support Freddie and his family.

“We were also lucky enough to be chosen as one of Eamonn Holmes’ Community Heroes and I was invited along with Charmaine and Freddie on to GB News to be interviewed. It was incredible to meet Eamonn and co-host Ellie and share a bit about Freddie, his journey and the work of Spread a Smile. It was an amazing day.

“Having a boy the same age as Freddie really hits home when I think about what Freddie is going through. It’s so important to me to be able to make a difference to Freddie and help him get the support he needs. Our next aim is get Freddie back playing football and winning the league!”

A huge thank you to Richard for being such a brilliant supporter and raising so much to support Freddie and Spread a Smile’s working bringing joy and happiness to seriously ill children and young people like Freddie. Please click here to sponsor Richard for the London Marathon and good luck to Richard and all our amazing London Marathon runners and fundraisers for their dedication and support.

You can read Freddie’s story and find out how Spread a Smile has supported him and his family here.

Watch Richard, Charmaine and Freddie on GB News below.

Chocolate workshop at MyChocolate

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At Spread a Smile, we try to ensure our family events cater for all ‘tastes’, so our first ever chocolate making workshop really did go down a treat.

The workshop was held at MyChocolate near Old Street in London and led by one of their brilliant theatrical chocolatiers, who brought so much energy and flair to the session. We were joined by 12 children who all experienced making some delicious chocolate truffles, filled with all sorts of yummy flavours such as honeycomb, sea salt, dried fruits and colourful sprinkles.

The chocolatier guided them through each step, from piping the chocolate to rolling it to their desired shape and finally coating the truffles in cocoa powder before topping it with edible decorations.

Our VIP guests also enjoyed making chocolate slabs and were taught the art of decorative feathering and other design work using dark, milk and white chocolate.

There was chocolate everywhere, but everyone had such a fantastic time creating their chocolate masterpieces. Working in pairs meant that the young people taking part were able to make new friends and socialise with other patients whilst their parents enjoyed a relaxing cup of tea, sitting together and chatting.

Every year Spread a Smile organises a calendar of family outings, events and activities to support young patients, their parents, carers and siblings and bring moments of respite, joyful experiences and enduring memories at the most challenging of times.

Our thanks go to Hannah Saxton, Owner of MyChocolate for making us all feel so welcome and creating such a wonderful day which brought so much joy to the families who joined us.

Find out more about our work here.

Real Estate Committee raises over £200,000

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Since our Real Estate Committee was formed back in 2023, the initiative has gone from strength to strength with over £200,000 raised by the real estate and property community through a series of dinners and events.

The Spread a Smile Real Estate Committee is chaired by Shaun Simons, Founder of Compton, and brings together key industry figures; Chris Davies, CEO at Uncommon, Nicky Barker, Managing Director at KKR, James Lass, Head of Operational Real Estate at Swiss Life Asset Managers UK, Michael Mirelman, Director at GRE Finance and Lee Jackson, Partner at Eversheds Sutherland.

Thanks to their commitment and drive, we have enjoyed some incredible networking opportunities and brilliant evenings together, welcoming over 200 professionals from the property sector and raising thousands of pounds to support Spread a Smile’s work bringing joy and laughter to seriously ill children and young people.

On Thursday 13 February, we welcomed 40 guests for our 6th Real Estate Dinner, hosted at Uncommon in Holborn. Generously sponsored by Chris Davies (Uncommon) and Shaun Simons (Compton), the evening showcased the work and talents of Spread a Smile, with one of our magicians, Sacha leaving guests in awe of his magic tricks and sleight of hand.

Spread a Smile singer and Visit Manager, Collette, also performed during the drinks reception, before talking to guests about her work with the charity over the last 12 years. A highlight of the evening was Collette’s performance of her most requested song in hospital – ‘A Million Dreams’ from The Greatest Showman.

Lucy Jackson, Spread a Smile Chief Executive said, “The Real Estate Committee continues to go from strength to strength and we are extremely proud of everything that has been achieved. The dinners are a unique and special opportunity for Spread a Smile to reach and engage new audiences within the property world. I am incredibly grateful to Shaun Simons, Chris Davies and the rest of the Committee for giving up their valuable time and investing so much energy in creating such a wonderful network and community of people, keen to find out more about and support vital work.” 

A huge thank you to Shaun, our Committee and everyone who has joined us, donated and continues to support this brilliant initiative.

To find out more about our Real Estate events and how your company can support Spread a Smile, please reach out to our Partnerships Manager, Lucy Keith at lucykeith@spreadasmile.org

Queen Elizabeth Hospital partnership

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Spread a Smile is delighted to announce a new partnership with Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, part of Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust (LGT). Spread a Smile will be supporting children and young people receiving treatment at the hospital and they, along with their families, are invited to join the Spread a Smile family and benefit from its services.

Spread a Smile’s mission is to bring joy and laughter to as many seriously ill children as possible in NHS hospitals, clinical settings, hospices and homes across the UK. Queen Elizabeth Hospital joins 36 other major and speciality NHS hospitals, and six hospice partners already supported by Spread a Smile, taking the charity one step closer to its aim of spreading smiles to every seriously ill child and young person across the country.

The Spread a Smile team of talented entertainers, including musicians, artists, magicians and therapy dogs, will spend quality time with patients through regular in-person visits to the hospital. In addition, patients and their families will be able to access a range of Spread a Smile support services including virtual sessions, outings and events. All of which supports Spread a Smile’s aim of reaching and supporting as many young people as possible, spreading smiles and a lot of happiness to children undergoing treatment for serious illnesses and their families.

Summer Pavitt, Healthcare Play Specialist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, said: “At LGT, we are excited to partner with the Spread a Smile team. We’ve seen first-hand the amazing difference this charity makes in the lives of our children and young people during challenging times. We’re looking forward to future visits and are grateful for the positive impact they’ve had on our youngest patients.”

Lucy Jackson, Spread a Smile Chief Executive added, “Spread a Smile is proud to be working with the team at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, to support young patients under their care, helping to provide distraction and much needed moments of engagement and fun. We are looking forward to our visits, meeting even more patients, families and staff and spreading as many smiles as possible.”

Find out more about our work here.

Family event with The Brain Tumour Charity

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On Saturday 1 February, Spread a Smile and The Brain Tumour Charity joined forces to host a wonderful family event for young patients affected by a brain tumour, along with their families.

This was the first event of its kind, taking place at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, with 60 guests joining us for a day full of fun activities and entertainment, with the aim of bringing together families going through some of the most difficult times in a shared, positive experience.

Ellen Walker, Head of Family events said, “It was a pleasure to welcome so many families supported by Spread a Smile and The Brain Tumour Charity for a such a wonderful day together. It was so lovely to see everyone chatting and sharing their experiences, knowing that the other family knew exactly what they were going through.”

Spread a Smile entertainers, including magicians, fairies, balloon modellers and more, were on hand to join in the fun, with so much for everyone to enjoy including magic shows with Makaton, singing, arts and crafts, face painting and music quizzes.

Our friends from Brigits Bakery provided gorgeous afternoon tea boxes for the children and young people, alongside delicious cupcakes from the brilliant Lola’s Cupcakes. The adults were not left out and were treated to lovely sandwich platters and snacks.

Clare Jackson, Support Manager for The Brain Tumour Charity said, “We are so pleased to have worked with Spread a Smile to offer this event to families within our community. It was brilliant to bring so many families together for a fun filled day, whilst providing the opportunity to connect with others who understand.” 

The room was filled with laughter and smiles and we would like to say a huge thank you to all our guests for joining us. Also to The Brain Tumour Charity for their hard work in making the day such a success and Brigits Bakery and Lola’s Cupcakes for their support.