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Spread a smile winter funland

Proud to Partner with Winter Funland 2025

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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Spread a Smile is proud to announce that we have been chosen as the charity partner for the London Winter Funland 2025 – one of the biggest indoor Christmas family extravaganzas in Europe.

This year Winter Funland comes to the UK, running from 12 December to 4 January 2026 at The Grand Hall, Olympia and also from the 6 December to the 3 January at the NEC, Birmingham.

Families supported by Spread a Smile have been invited to join in the London fun for a special VIP evening, enjoying the magical winter wonderland, with unlimited funfair rides, ice rink, a fun-filled festive circus show and more. The charity will also have a presence at the event, meaning we’ll be reaching new audiences and sharing our work with everyone visiting.

Spread a Smile’s Chief Executive, Lucy Jackson said, “We are absolutely delighted that Spread a Smile is the charity partner for this year’s Winter Funland event in London. We are incredibly grateful that so many of the seriously ill children and families we support will have the chance to enjoy such a magical experience together. Moments like these mean so much when life is dominated by hospital appointments and treatment.

“This partnership not only gives our families something truly special to look forward to, but it also helps raise vital awareness of our work. Winter Funland and Spread a Smile share a commitment to bringing joy and unforgettable moments to children and their loved ones, and we’re proud to be working together to make that happen.”

Thank you to everyone at Winter Funland for their support and helping us spread smiles to seriously ill children and their families when they are needed most.

You can find out more and buy tickets for this brilliant event here.

 

COSMIC Queen Charlotte

Our First Visit to Queen Charlotte’s NICU 

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

For World Prematurity Day on Monday 17 November, we were proud to make our first in-person visit to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital – part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.  

The visit marked the expansion of Spread a Smile’s service delivery within the Trust, following delivery of our successful and regular support programme for patients at St Mary’s Hospital, also part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.  

The development has been made possible thanks to a brilliant partnership between Spread a Smile and Cosmic, a charity that supports babies and children in intensive care units across St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington and Queen Charlotte’s Hospital in Hammersmith.

Working closely with the team at Cosmic, Spread a Smile’s Director of Services, Laura Walter carefully planned a special and meaningful first visit to families in the NICU for World Prematurity Day – a day that is observed annually to raise awareness about preterm birth and its impact on families and healthcare systems worldwide. 

Our entertainers, Rosie and Posey joined Laura and Cosmic staff at the hospital for a morning filled with gentle music, stories, and comfort. Musician, Rosie, gently played the guitar and sang soothing songs for the babies, creating a calming atmosphere on the ward. Meanwhile, Posey read from the book ‘Guess How Much I Love You’, a book that Cosmic gifts to every NICU family in their welcome pack when they arrive on the unit. It provided a peaceful moment for parents during a very difficult and emotional journey. 

Posey shared the benefits of reading to babies – even in neonatal care – from bonding and comfort to supporting early language and cognitive development. 

Laura said, “This visit marks the beginning of Spread a Smile’s regular support for Queen Charlotte’s NICU, something we are incredibly proud to deliver. We are so grateful to Cosmic for partnering with us to help expand our reach and bring moments of joy, comfort, and connection to even more families when they need it most.” 

Susannah Forland, Cosmic CEO, said: “It’s a privilege for Cosmic to provide funding to support these visits and partner with Spread a Smile. Research shows that gentle music and reading aloud can support both parents and premature babies – helping stabilise the baby’s heart rate, improve oxygen levels and encourage bonding. We’re proud to help make this much-needed support available to give families some light relief in a very unsettling and difficult time.”

If you’d like to help support our vital work spreading smiles to seriously ill babies, children and young people across the country, why not take a look at our Christmas Appeal? With incredible prizes to bid on and the chance to enter our prize draw for just £10, we hope you’ll get involved and help spread some festive smiles to the children and families we support. 

comedy night spread a smile with suzi ruffell

Stand-up Comedy Night with Suzi Ruffell

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

On Monday 17 November, we returned to The Comedy Store, London for the 6th Spread a Smile stand-up Comedy Night, raising vital funds to support our work and bring joy to seriously ill children and their families.

Generously sponsored by Enra Specialist Finance and Texel Foundation, and hosted and curated by our incredible Ambassador Suzi Ruffell, the evening was a huge success, with laughter filling the room from start to finish.

Guests were treated to brilliant performances from Tom Allen, Rhys James, Harriet Kemsley, and Limahl Germain. Military Mind-Reader and Spread a Smile Ambassador, Richard Jones, also took to the stage to showcase his incredible magic and illusions, leaving the audience amazed.

A huge thank you to Suzi Ruffell for being such a wonderful Ambassador and all her efforts curating our Comedy Night every year. Also to Tom, Rhys, Harriet, Limahl and Richard for helping to make the night one to remember, our sponsors Canary Wharf Contractors Fund and Enra Specialist Finance for their continued support, and to everyone who attended. Together we’ve raised thousands of pounds to help fund our work spreading smiles to seriously ill children, young people and their families.

The evening also marked the launch of our Christmas Appeal, which features a silent auction and prize draw. Running from Monday 17 November to Tuesday 9 December, you can bid for and win amazing prizes with all monies raised helping us bring even more joy and laughter when it’s needed most. Please support our Christmas Appeal here.

 

 

Children with Cancer UK joins visit to GOSH

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

Gavin Maggs, Chief Executive of our partner Children with Cancer UK, joined the Spread a Smile team on a special visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in November this year.

Gavin spent time with Spread a Smile Chief Executive Lucy Jackson, along with one of our magicians and Fairy Becca, meeting patients and families across the wards, sharing laughter and joy and handing out the brand-new Children with Cancer UK mascot, Corry the teddy bear.

Corry was inspired by nine-year-old Olivia, who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour at 17 months old, leaving her blind. Her teddy bear Corry has been by her side during her ongoing cancer journey. A symbol of comfort and hope, Corry acts as a reminder that no child should face cancer alone

Children with Cancer UK have been supporting Spread a Smile since 2023, providing vital funding to support our hospital visits and family events. Gavin’ visit was a wonderful opportunity for him to see first-hand the difference Children with Cancer UK are helping to make for seriously ill children and young people with cancer across our NHS hospital partners.

Both charities share a strong commitment to supporting children and young people during illness. By working together, we can reach even more families, ensuring that laughter and positivity remain part of every child’s hospital journey.

Lucy Jackson said, “We were delighted to welcome Gavin for our visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital to see our entertainers in action and show just how valuable our work is spreading smiles to seriously ill children in hospital. It’s thanks to partners such as Children with Cancer UK that we’re able to deliver our services – from entertainer visits in hospitals, to special outings and events for young patients and their families, virtual sessions and more. Thank you to Gavin and the team at Children with Cancer UK for their ongoing support and commitment to spreading smiles when they are needed most.”

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Christmas appeal spread a smile

Christmas Appeal: Auction and Prize Draw

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

This Christmas, Spread a Smile is launching a very special Christmas Auction and Prize Draw to help raise vital funds for our work spreading smiles to seriously ill children and young people.

Running from Monday 17 November to Tuesday 9 December, the Spread a Smile Christmas Appeal Auction and Prize Draw offers the chance to bid and donate to win some brilliant prizes, whilst also helping to bring joy and laughter to the families we support when it’s needed most.

The Silent Auction really does include something for everyone – from theatre tickets and luxury dining to exclusive sporting experiences and special treats. Meanwhile, for just £10 for one entry in our Prize Draw, you could win something special for you or a family member, such as an Apple iPad, luxury hampers, games hampers, and more.

For the families we support, Christmas can be a particularly challenging time, with hospital stays, treatments, and uncertainty often overshadowing the festive season. Every penny raised through our auction and prize draw will help us continue our work spreading smiles to seriously ill children across the country – this Christmas and beyond.

Lucy Jackson, Spread a Smile Chief Executive said, “We are so grateful to everyone who has donated prizes for our Christmas Appeal this year, helping us to create such an exciting auction and prize draw to share with our supporters. We hope that as many people as possible will get involved, bid in the auction or enter the raffle and help us reach even more families with seriously ill children during the most difficult time of their lives.”

Through 39 NHS hospital and six hospice partners Spread a Smile delivers a range of services to the families we support. This includes in-person and virtual entertainer visits, special outings and events and art initiatives. This Christmas, the charity will also send out 2,000 bespoke festive Smile Hampers to seriously ill children and their siblings, each filled with gifts handpicked with each child in mind. We’ll also be spreading festive cheer through Santa visits to hospitals and a virtual grotto experience, ensuring that children who can’t be at home can share in the magic of Christmas.

So what are you waiting for? Bid, donate, or enter the Prize Draw today – and help spread smiles where they’re needed most this Christmas and beyond.

 

Regular visits to Leicester Royal Infirmary

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

Since 2020, Spread a Smile has been bringing joy to seriously ill children at Leicester Royal Infirmary, supporting seriously ill children and their families through treat drops and virtual visits. These moments of fun and laughter help brighten long hospital stays and create a sense of normality for children living with serious illness.

We are now thrilled to be expanding our support for young patients at Leicester Royal Infirmary by introducing regular in-person entertainer visits to the wards. Last week, we celebrated the first of these in-person visits, with our talented entertainers Fairy Becca and Nick the magician providing bedside visits and spreading smiles through music, magic and more.

Our entertainer visits are at the heart of what we do at Spread a Smile: providing moments of interaction, fun and distraction and helping to lift what can be a scary time for children and young people in hospital.

Leicester Royal Infirmary is one of Spread a Smile’s 39 NHS hospitals and six hospice partners across the country and we’re very much looking forward to working closely with and supporting their brilliant ward team.

As a charity that receives no government funding, we rely solely on the generosity of our supporters. If you would like to support visits like these, please consider making a donation. Thank you.

Gary Neville SaS Real estate dinner

Real Estate Dinner with Gary Neville

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

The Spread a Smile Real Estate Committee hosted an exclusive dinner on Thursday 6 November at Uncommon, Holborn, for 50 people, with special guest speaker Gary Neville.

Best known for his illustrious football career with Manchester United and England, Gary Neville has since established himself as a respected property developer and entrepreneur. His real estate portfolio includes the landmark £400 million St Michael’s redevelopment in Manchester, as well as Hotel Football and The Stock Exchange Hotel.

During the evening, Neville was in conversation with Nicky Barker, Managing Director and Head of Asset Management for KKR’s European Real Estate team, exploring the intersections of sport, leadership, and business.

The event aims to raise vital funds for Spread a Smile, supporting our work bringing joy, laughter, and moments of respite to seriously ill children in hospitals and hospices across the country.

Gary Neville said: “I’m really pleased to have supported Spread a Smile at this special evening with the real estate community. The work the charity does to bring moments of joy and comfort to seriously ill children and their families is truly inspiring. I know how important it is to lift people’s spirits during such difficult times. It’s a privilege to be part of an event that helps make that possible.”

Shaun Simons, Founder at Compton and Chair of the Spread a Smile Real Estate Committee, added: “The real estate industry has shown incredible commitment to supporting Spread a Smile over the years, and this event was another opportunity to come together for a cause that makes a real difference. We’re honoured to have hosted Gary Neville.”

Lucy Jackson, Chief Executive of Spread a Smile, said: “We’re thrilled to have welcomed Gary Neville as our guest speaker at this very special evening. His journey from the pitch to the boardroom is inspiring, and we’re so grateful to the real estate community for their continued generosity. Every pound raised helps Spread a Smile, deliver joy, laughter and hope to children and families who need it most.”

Since being established in 2023, the Spread a Smile Real Estate Committee have held 7 dinners, raising an incredible £200,000 to fund Spread a Smile’s work bringing joy and laughter to seriously ill children in hospital. Chaired by Shaun Simons, Founder of Compton, the Committee 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.

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Artplay workshop spread a smile

Spreading Smiles at our first pottery workshop

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

We recently welcomed 16 young patients to a pottery workshop at ArtPlay in Spitalfields Market. The children and young people began with a playful pottery game to get creative juices flowing before moving on to sculpting their own unique creations – from mugs and pots to an absolutely adorable sausage dog!

At Spread a Smile, we’re always looking for new and engaging activities for our Family Events that reflect the wide-ranging interests of the children and young people  we support. Covering everything from music and magic to arts and crafts, cooking, cake decorating, theatre and cinema trips, and more, we provide fun opportunities for families to have fun together doing something they enjoy.

This was our first pottery workshop, and it was a joy to see everyone so focused, creative, and proud of their finished pieces. The smiles, laughter, and excitement throughout the day perfectly captured what Spread a Smile is all about. Moments like these are so important for children living with serious illness – they provide a chance to be imaginative, have fun, and spend precious time with their families while connecting with peers who are on similar journeys.

Workshops like these are only possible thanks to the generous support of our donors and partners. With your help, we can continue to provide events and outings  that bring joy and comfort to seriously ill children and their families. If you would like to support our work, please consider making a donation – thank you.

Evelina London Children's hospital

Weekly visits to Evelina Children’s Hospital

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

We’re delighted to share that our visits to Evelina London Children’s Hospital have increased to once a week, meaning we can now spread even more smiles to seriously ill children and their families across the hospital.

Evelina is London’s second-biggest children’s hospital, which we have been working with since 2019 as one of the 39 NHS hospital partners we support across the country.

Our talented team of entertainers now visit all Evelina’s wards, bringing magic, music, art and laughter to young patients and their families. By gradually building up to weekly visits, we’re now able to reach even more patients and cover the whole hospital, helping to make hospital life brighter for everyone.

Evelina London Children’s Hospital celebrated its 20th birthday on 1 November, and we were delighted to join the festivities by hosting a special calligraphy workshop in the hospital atrium. Led by one of our Spread a Smile artists, patients and families came together to create beautiful designs to mark the occasion, filling the space with colour, creativity and smiles.

Laura Walter, Spread a Smile’s Director of Services, said:

“We are so proud to be expanding the number of our visits to Evelina London Children’s Hospital. Providing a visit each week means we can reach even more young patients and their families, providing an important distraction and helping to bring more joy into the clinical environment. We’re so thankful to continue our partnership with Evelina and to work alongside their incredible play teams to support patients across the hospital.”

Through our regular in-person visits, online sessions and family events, we continue spreading smiles to seriously ill children and their families when they need it most.

Your support helps us make this possible. If you’d like to get involved, please consider making a donation today. Thank you.

New Books for Our Intensive Care Libraries

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

In March 2025, we proudly launched our Intensive Care Library Project, delivering beautiful collections of books to 15 NHS hospital partners and creating 20 libraries across Paediatric Intensive Care and High Dependency Units.

When a child is seriously ill and in intensive care, days can be filled with worry for both the child and their family. Finding a quiet moment of comfort or connection can be difficult in a hospital environment. Our libraries provide carefully curated books right where they’re needed most, giving families the chance to read together, share stories, and find moments of calm and connection during a challenging time.

This October, we carried out our latest book drop, delivering over 250 wonderful new books to hospitals across the country. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters, the shelves are now brimming with vibrant stories to suit children of all ages and interests.

We’re so grateful to our amazing community for helping us keep these libraries full. Special thanks go to Emmie’s Books and Expect Amazing for their continued support, and to volunteers Viraj, Vidhi and their mum Avni, and Lindsay, George and Emmie who helped pack and deliver the books with such care. 

If you’d like to support our Intensive Care Library Project, you can purchase books for our library here. Thank you.