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All peaks challenge logo

All Peaks Challenge

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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Spread a Smile is proud to be a chosen charity for the All Peaks Challenge, an extraordinary event taking place on 13 June 2026. This ambitious undertaking will bring 120 teams together to summit every P600 mountain across the UK and Ireland at the exact same time.

The challenge has been created to honour those who face their own mountains every day with courage and hope. By reaching 120 summits simultaneously, participants will create a powerful symbol of solidarity across two nations while raising vital funds for two charities: Spread a Smile and Just Rifles.

The All Peaks Challenge was founded by Terence Martin who shared the personal motivation behind launching the event and his personal experience Spread a Smile:

“The All Peaks Challenge was born from a deeply personal place. When I learned that my son is neurodivergent, my perspective shifted forever. I saw first-hand how vital the work of charities is – not as an optional extra, but as an essential lifeline for children and families navigating challenges they never chose.

I wanted to do more than simply acknowledge that importance – I wanted to make a meaningful, lasting impact. This challenge is my commitment to creating something bigger than myself, something that leaves a legacy my son can be proud of: one rooted in empathy, resilience, and action.

Through my work, I was introduced to Spread a Smile and was immediately struck by the sheer size of their hearts. The joy they bring to children facing serious illness is extraordinary. In moments that can feel overwhelming and unfair, they offer laughter, light, and hope. Supporting them through the All Peaks Challenge is my way of turning purpose into action, and compassion into change.”

Whether you are an experienced mountaineer or a determined hiker ready to push your limits, this is an opportunity to be part of something truly remarkable. Click here to find out more and sign up now.

 

Lucy Jackson Spread a Smile speaking at industry dinner

Spread a Smile’s inaugural PR Dinner

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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We were delighted to host Spread a Smile’s inaugural PR Dinner on Thursday 29 January at the Ham Yard Hotel, London. Hosted by Phil Caplin, Founder of leading broadcast PR firm Broadcast Revolution, alongside Lucy Jackson, Chief Executive of Spread a Smile, the evening brought together senior leaders from across the PR sector for an intimate dinner in support of the charity.

The event provided an opportunity to introduce Spread a Smile’s work to influential voices within the industry, sharing the impact of our programmes and exploring how the PR community can help amplify our mission. Guests also enjoyed a magical performance from Spread a Smile magician Sacha, who gave a first-hand glimpse of the joy, distraction and connection our entertainers bring to children and families in hospital.

Broadcast Revolution has supported Spread a Smile with pro bono PR expertise since 2020, playing a vital role in raising awareness of the charity’s work and reach.

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

“It was fantastic to bring together such a brilliant group of senior leaders from across the PR industry to share more about our work and the impact it has on children and families. Evenings like this are so important in helping us raise awareness, build new relationships and open the door to future support. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us, and especially to Phil and the team at Broadcast Revolution for their continued commitment to Spread a Smile and for helping us share our story so powerfully.”

Phil Caplin, Founder of Broadcast Revolution, said:

“Spread a Smile does extraordinary work supporting seriously ill children and their families at some of the toughest moments of their lives. It’s been a privilege to support the charity over the past few years, and hosting this dinner felt like a natural next step in bringing more of the PR industry together behind such an important cause. I’m really proud of the ongoing partnership between Broadcast Revolution and Spread a Smile.”

To find out more about how your company could get involved in supporting Spread a Smile, please contact Lucy Chesney, Head of Partnerships, at lucychesney@spreadasmile.org.

 

Parent Mental Health Day

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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Today, 30 January 2026 is Parent Mental Health Day, a day where we recognise the strength and courage of parents navigating life when their child is seriously ill.

When a child is unwell, parents and carers often place their own mental health and wellbeing second, focusing entirely on supporting their child through treatment, hospital stays and ongoing uncertainty.

At Spread a Smile, we support seriously ill children and their families across the country through a range of specialised services. Our in-person entertainer visits bring joy to children in hospital and also play an important role in supporting parents and siblings who are with them. Interactions with our entertainers bring laughter, distraction and shared experiences to everyone in the room, offering moments of relief from anxiety and the ongoing pressures families face.

Our family events are designed with the realities of caring for a seriously ill child in mind. We understand that financial pressures, accessibility issues and the uncertainty around a child’s health can make planning outings extremely difficult. By organising every aspect of an event – from theatre trips and cinema visits to lunches and afternoon teas – we remove some of that burden. These events provide families with the opportunity to spend time together in a safe, welcoming environment, while parents and carers are given space to pause, feel supported, and connect with other families in similar situations.

With the wellbeing and mental health of parents and carers at the forefront, we also offer dedicated parent pamper days in NHS hospitals including Great Ormond Street Hospital, the UK’s largest specialist children’s hospital, St Mary’s Hospital, St George’s Hospital, and Evelina London Children’s Hospital. These pamper days are aimed at supporting parents and carers with children who are spending extended periods of time in hospital, providing everything from massage and aromatherapy to nail treatments and hair styling. These sessions give parents time for themselves, providing respite, moments for self-care and a sense of normality during exceptionally challenging times.

Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of parents of seriously ill children is an important part of Spread a Smile’s work and we are committed to continuing to provide opportunities for care, relief and support for parents when they need it most.

Please click here to find out more about how Spread a Smile supports parents and carers.

Our January e-newsletter is here!

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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Inside this month’s e-news, you’ll find out about our exciting Research Partnership with University of Essex funded by Innovate UK.

We also hosted some brilliant family events, from theatre trips to see Wicked and The Lion King, to our wonderful ‘teen’ event at The Met Lounge Fitzrovia.

You’ll also find some exciting fundraising highlights, including celebrating Adam from Riding House Cafés as our first Supporter of the Month for 2026. We’ve also included some inspiration if you’re thinking about taking on your own challenge.

Read our January e-news here.

And if you haven’t already, subscribe here to receive our monthly e-news directly to your inbox.

twing raid

Supporter of the Month

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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We are proud to shine a spotlight on Adam White, Founder and Managing Director of Riding House Cafés in London.

Riding House Café has supported Spread a Smile since 2022, raising vital funds through bill donations and generously hosting our family events in their beautiful restaurant. Building on this amazing support, Adam is now taking the team’s commitment to the next level by tackling the ‘Twing Raid.’

Far from a standard road trip, this 10-day challenge will see Adam navigate the Sahara Desert and Atlas Mountains in a vintage car. It is a true test of endurance, navigation, and resilience. Adam told us a bit more about this incredible challenge and why he chose to support Spread a Smile…

“I’ve been working with Spread a Smile for quite a few years now. I think the work they do is incredibly brave and important; it is so greatly appreciated by the children and their families.

For this challenge, I’ll be joining 450 other entrants, all driving original Renault Twingos.

“I’m particularly looking forward to the desert stages as it’s a totally new experience for me, though camping in sub-zero temperatures in the Atlas Mountains will certainly be a challenge. Our daily goal is simple: arrive at each destination without breaking ourselves or the car. The ultimate achievement will be crossing that finish line with an even closer bond with Eric, some new stories, improved French, and – most importantly – raising vital funds for the causes we represent.”

We are so grateful to Adam for his incredible fundraising efforts, and to Riding House Café for their ongoing support in helping us spread smiles to seriously ill children. Find out more about Adam’s ‘Twing Raid’ here.

Feeling inspired? Explore our upcoming challenge events for 2026 here.

Edward Gordon-Hall Spread a smile Trustee

Welcome new Trustee: Edward Gordon-Hall

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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Spread a Smile is delighted to welcome Edward Gordon-Hall as a new Trustee to our Board. As we continue to grow and strengthen the charity, Edward’s leadership, expertise and perspective will play an important role in helping us maximise our long-term impact for seriously ill children and their families.

Edward is the Chief Executive Officer of law firm Druces LLP, having previously held the role of Finance Director. A qualified accountant, he brings over 30 years’ experience advising and working with professional services firms, offering valuable insight across strategy, finance and operations.

Spread a Smile looks forward to working closely with Edward as we continue to develop the charity and deliver lasting impact for the children and families we support.

Edward said:

“I’m really pleased to be joining the Board of Spread a Smile. The charity does such meaningful and uplifting work, and I’m proud to support its mission. I hope my experience in strategy, finance and governance will help strengthen the charity and support its long-term impact.”

You can explore our board of Trustees here.
Want to receive our latest news directly to your inbox each month? Sign up for our monthly supporter e-newsletter here.

gift in wills

Free Will-writing service with Farewill

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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Writing a Will is often a task that people put off for another day. While it can feel daunting, it provides essential peace of mind for you and your family, ensuring your wishes are truly honoured. It also offers a unique opportunity to leave a meaningful legacy to a cause close to your heart. To help get you started, here are three things you might find useful to know:

You’re never too young
If you have loved ones, own property, or even a pet, a Will will ensure they are looked after exactly as you wish. There is no age requirement for writing a Will – it’s a meaningful step you can take as soon as you feel ready.

It doesn’t have to be expensive
To support you on your journey, we’ve partnered with Farewill to offer our supporters a professional, legally-binding Will-writing service – completely free of charge.

It doesn’t take long
You can complete your Will online, from the comfort of your own home, making this important piece of “life admin” simple, easy, and efficient.

With that in mind, we’re welcoming you to utilise our free Farewill service to get your Will in place. There is no obligation to leave a gift to Spread a Smile when doing so, but if you would like to consider including us, we would be extremely grateful. Click the button bellow to get started.

Start your Will-writing journey today

Your gift, whether large or small will help us reach more seriously ill children and their families across the country, offering vital moments of connection and joy and spreading smiles when they are needed most. You can find out more about the families we support and the impact your gift will make here.

If you have any questions on this service get in touch with Tasha at TashaMann@spreadasmile.org

Thank you so much.

spread a smile teen event met lounge

A special evening for teens at the MET Lounge

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

At Spread a Smile, we pride ourselves on offering a range of bespoke, engaging and inclusive family events for children and young people of all ages who are affected by serious illness. We recently hosted a very special ‘teen’ event for some of the teenagers we support, giving them the chance to relax, spend time together, and enjoy a fun evening out.

For many teenagers living with a serious illness, long hospital stays and intensive treatments often mean missing out on important social milestones. Healthcare systems are often tailored toward younger children or older adults, which can create a gap for teenagers at a critical stage of discovering their independence. By hosting teen events, we aim to bridge this gap, offering a necessary break from clinical environments and giving them a relaxed and welcoming space to be themselves.

The night took place at the MET Lounge, a rooftop venue with breath-taking views over the London skyline, providing a gorgeous setting for our VIP guests. We had a live DJ set taking song requests, while our host, Collette, sang along and did a brilliant job of keeping the energy up and getting everyone involved.

There was a wide range of activities for the teens to enjoy throughout the evening. Guests captured memories in the photobooth and got creative designing their own canvases and mugs. Others took part in board games, a quiz full of laughter, and enjoyed incredible magic tricks from our entertainers.

Guests sang along to their favourite tracks, from Wicked to Sabrina Carpenter, with the incredibly talented electric violinist Stringz playing live alongside the music, which was a real moment to remember. Another highlight came from our entertainer, Judge the Poet, who somehow managed to create a rhyming poem using the young guests’ chosen words: “6-7”, perpendicular, Tottenham, banana, and house.

It was a wonderful evening and an important milestone for Spread a Smile, and we look forward to hosting more events that bring joy to young people living with serious illness.

To learn more about our services for seriously ill children or to enquire about access, please click here to find out more.

Events like these are only possible thanks to the support of our donors and partners. Please donate today. Thank you

Join Our Team: We’re Hiring a Head of Operations

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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We are excited to announce that we are hiring for a new Head of Operations to join our Services team. This senior role helps ensure our in-person and virtual services run safely, smoothly and to the highest standard.
Working closely with the Director of Services, the Head of Operations will lead a small team and be central to delivering the joyful, high-quality experiences that Spread a Smile brings to seriously ill children and their families.

About the Role
The Head of Operations is a leadership role responsible for ensuring the smooth, safe and effective delivery of Spread a Smile’s services across both in‑person hospital visits and virtual visits.
The postholder will provide operational leadership while remaining highly hands‑on, with direct oversight of systems, scheduling, compliance and day‑to‑day team management to ensure services are delivered to a consistently high standard.
As a senior member of the Services team, the postholder will ensure that every interaction, whether in hospital or online, is delivered with care, consistency and to an exceptional standard.

Laura Walter, Spread a Smile’s Director of Services, said:
“We are looking for a dynamic and compassionate leader to step into this vital role. Our Head of Operations plays a crucial part in ensuring our services reach the children and families who need us most. If you are someone who thrives on creating efficient systems and leading a motivated team to make a real impact, we would love to hear from you.”

Read the full job description

Apply here

We look forward to receiving your applications. If you have any queries or require reasonable adjustments, please email admin@spreadasmile.org

university of essex spread a smile research job

University of Essex Research Partnership

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

We are delighted to announce an exciting new Knowledge Transfer Partnership for Spread a Smile with The University of Essex, funded by Innovate UK, the UK’s national innovation agency supporting business-led innovation and part of UK Research and Innovation.

The project will apply evidence-based research and expertise to assess and demonstrate the positive impact of Spread a Smile’s entertainers visiting seriously ill babies, children and young people in hospitals. It will also create an evaluation framework which altogether will enable the charity to optimise our service delivery, maximise impact, and increase income streams.

Through the partnership, Spread a Smile will be work closely with Dr ZhiMin Xiao, Senior Lecturer in the School of Health and Social Care at The University of Essex and Lead Academic for the research study. Joining them on the team are fellow Lecturer Dr Nestor Asiamah and a postgraduate researcher, recruited specifically for the project.

Lucy Jackson, Spread a Smile Chief Executive said, “This is an extremely important piece of work for Spread a Smile which will enable us to clearly understand and showcase the amazing impact and power of our work across the NHS hospitals we partner with and for the families with seriously ill children that we support.

“As a charity, we are committed to ensuring that our entertainers deliver the best and most appropriate service possible. This research project will help us do just that, ensuring we can reach families when they need us most, inspiring the public to support our work and helping us to deliver our strategic goal of delivering regular entertainment provision in all 26 specialist children’s hospitals across the UK by 2035.

“We are very much looking forward to working closely with Dr Xiao, Dr Asiamah and the team and our sincere thanks go to Innovate UK for generously funding the project and helping us to take this next step in our long-term plans for growth.”

Dr Xiao recently visited the Spread a Smile office to meet the team and talk more about next steps saying,

“I am very excited about the grant from Innovate UK and look forward to working with colleagues at Spread a Smile. Children and young people have always been the heart of my research. I study them online, in schools, families, communities, and court proceedings, about their education, development, health and wellbeing.

“This award allows us to study them in clinical settings, specialist hospitals across the country. For the first time, we do not have to wait a long time to estimate the impact of an intervention. We can also see and feel the impact shortly after the services that Spread a Smile are delivering to the wards for so many seriously ill children in the most difficult of times.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be able to work for a great cause, with a great charity. We just can’t wait to start the project.”

Applications are now open for this exciting postgraduate research opportunity and you can find all the details here. The closing date for applications is 11 February 2026.

To stay up to date with the project, how we are spreading smiles across the country and how you can support our work, please sign up to our monthly e-news.