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The Spread a Smile Golf Day has become a flagship event in our annual calendar. This year, we were joined by 160 golfers across two days at Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire.

The picturesque course with its beautiful fairways and wide lakes was the perfect setting and most importantly, the weather was mostly clear on both days.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a true Spread a Smile golf day without our incredible entertainers! We brought some of our magicians on to the course to wow the players in between holes which proved very popular and a good way for people to take their mind off of any bad golf. The Spread a Smile team were also on hand with donuts around the course to keep people energised.

We were also lucky enough to share a special video with the attendees, of Abi, who’s child Arianna we support in hospital. Arianna is known in her family as ‘Wonder Woman’, and has been so brave throughout her extensive treatment and hospital stays. We supported Arianna through cancer treatment when she was required to be in isolation for four weeks, without being able to see her family. The video helped to bring to life the work that we do, and show to the golfers why fundraising days like this are so important.

Our main sponsor for the day were Canary Wharf Contractors, who we can’t thank enough for their support.

We’d also like to thank our amazing tee sponsors who lent their names to each hole. These were, Engage FS, Opticore IT, CAE Technology, Franchi, Melburg, HW Fisher, Broadcast Revolution, Enra Specialist Finance, CMS Distribution and BH2.

We’d also like to thank these organisations who were generous enough to donate products and refreshments for the day including Parks London, Karma Drinks, Gold Key Media, SipSmith Gin, Delishious and Slingsby Gin.

Laura:

I have spent the last thirteen years working closely with children and young people with cancer and their families who go through the toughest of ordeals. I can honestly say that I  truly treasure opportunities to offer some light in these darkest of times and make them smile.  So, I want to take this time to share the story of an extraordinary trip the wonderful Spread a Smile team and I recently took with some very special people and saw smiles that we will never forget…

Last Wednesday, after much checking and double checking of lists and frantic phone calls coordinating last-minute details, our team of seven and I set off on a six-hour journey up to the Lake District with three families for our very first residential trip. And what better place to host this inaugural event than at Flynne’s Barn, located right in the heart of the mountains.

Greeting us on arrival were our hosts Katherine, Robin, and their son Harry, who set up Flynne’s Barn after their 17-year-old daughter sadly died of cancer in 2016. Named in her memory, Flynne’s Barn is a place where young people living with cancer can come together to find peace and forge friendships in the beautiful Lake District surroundings. Flynne’s love of nature and fearless positivity in making meaningful connections with other young people with cancer is a mission that Katherine and Robin have put right into the soul of the place. We were so thankful to them for hosting us and allowing us to bring the families of our three young patients – Lily, Joy, and Kayla – who had recently finished cancer treatment.

When Lily, Joy, and Kayla arrived with their siblings and parents, there was lots of excitement at the prospect of spending four days exploring the surroundings.

And what an adventurous four days it was.

Being in the heart of the countryside meant absolutely no phone signal, which was a blessing for us all to have a digital detox and for everyone to get out in nature.

Lily, Joy, Kayla, and their eight siblings joined in with forest school activities where they made beautiful artwork using trees, grass and flowers, as well as magic wands and potions, and jewellery out of sticks. They met search and rescue dogs, learned to play many new games, explored the area on beautiful nature walks, and even learned how to make fire, despite the pouring rain! One of the highlights were the evening campfires, where we roasted marshmallows and had many a singalong, which could likely be heard across the entire Lake District. It goes without saying that it was heart-warming to see all the children play together, get stuck into group games and art projects, and take no-screen time in their stride. As soon as they stepped into the tranquillity of Flynne’s Barn, it was like they could leave cancer behind and just be children, which was truly wonderful to see.

For parents, life post-cancer treatment can often be the hardest part, as they try to readjust to a new ‘normal’ and are often hit with the realisation and emotions of what their children and family have been through. Since these three families also experienced treatment throughout the pandemic, they had not had the opportunity to meet other families when their child was in hospital, meaning this experience was even more important. Whilst the children were energised by the surroundings and activities, the parents were able to spend time together, bonding over shared experiences and supporting each other, as well as playing games and doing group puzzles. Everyone, both the adults and children, were also able to find relaxation and restoration in aromatherapy and massages provided by our caring therapist Priya.

This would not have been possible without Katherine and Robin and the beautiful space they have created. I have known Katherine and Robin for a long time, and so this means a lot to me personally that Spread a Smile are able to partner and support the vital restorative and healing work Flynne’s Barn does for young people with cancer. That we can work together so that parents can see their children smile and everyone can take a break from cancer for a short while is something that I am beyond thankful that we can do for families.

On our new partnership and our lovely visit, Katherine and Robin said:

‘After hosting the Spread a Smile team with a group of three amazing families at Flynne’s Barn this summer we are delighted to be building our partnership. The welcoming and peaceful space of the barn, the restorative effects of nature together with the enthusiasm, talent and empathic skills of the Spread a Smile team created a winning combination. It was brilliant to see all family members across the generations visibly relax into their residential stay, to connect with each other and build friendships. Their time at Flynne’s Barn, being supported and entertained by such a wonderful team of professionals, enabled the children and their parents to leave behind the stresses of hospital stays, invasive treatments and separation from family members.

This first collaboration between our two charities is just the beginning. It’s exciting to think of the potential our partnership has for supporting families in a truly holistic way. Everyone came away enriched by the strength of the connections and new friendships made.

The vision we had for Flynne’s Barn is being realised. Our daughter Flynne loved the freedom that came with being in wild places and simply to romp in nature. The setting of the barn and its surroundings provide this. We offer a range of immersive outdoor and creative experiences that encourage connections, chats and camaraderie. Flynne loved to express how she was feeling through writing, music and artwork. We hope that offering the possibility to explore their creativity will help our young visitors to express emotions and support each other along a challenging road.’

Spread a Smile will be hosting our second residential trip next year, and we already cannot wait to visit Flynne’s Barn again.

Thank you to the Spread a Smile team, the families who came with us on the journey, Katherine, Robin, and most importantly, to Flynne.

We held our first ever Summer Party on Wednesday 3 August, which proved to be our biggest and best event ever and we’re thankful to everyone who made it such a success. Seeing so many familiar faces was wonderful, especially outside of a hospital environment, in sunny Coram’s Fields in London.

In total, we had over 613 guests at the party: 330 patients and their siblings, 261 family members and carers plus 22 play specialists.

For many, our summer party was a rare opportunity to get off the wards to spend time having fun with their family. So many of the children we support require constant care, or are required to isolate in their rooms. Giving them an opportunity to celebrate and spend quality time with their family makes a huge difference in their lives and allows them to experience some normality for a day. Opportunities like our party are few and far between for the families we support.

The children who came had no shortage of things to do, as we had stations for face painting, teddy bear t-shirt decorating, sensory play, aromatherapy for parents, arts and crafts, magic, animals and so much more! The kids all got stuck in and were able to try everything, and it was amazing to see them moving from table to table to try all the activities. One particular favourite was where they could design clothes for the hundreds of soft toy pandas provided by Ikea or shoot the Nerf guns into the target with our friends from Hasbro.

As well as this, there were some amazing sweet treats! Lola’s Cupcakes came with their trailer where you could design your own flavours, while Crosstown doughnuts brought incredible mini doughnuts to sample. Also, we had generous donations from Greggs, Valeo Foods Group, Ocado, and Play in Choc.

On our main stage, we had performances from some our favourite entertainers, many of whom the children will have met during virtual visits or on Smile TV, but were able to meet in person for the first time. This included the incredible Judge The Poet and Captain Calamity. For our music obsessed guests, we had sing-alongs with our fairies Jasmin, Danny, Ellie, Tasha, Becca and Kirtsen and amazing singers, Collette and Joanna. The children had a great time dancing and singing to their favourite songs, while Krisgar and Tricky Teddy provided some magical entertainment.

The most rewarding part of the day for us was seeing the joy we were able to bring to these children and their families. It was a delight to watch them arrive with a smile on their face and anticipation to get stuck into the activities, or watch the activity on the stage. We spoke to parents who felt relieved and emotional at seeing their child having a great time, and experience the excitement and joy that should be part of every childhood.

One of these children was Jacob, who at five years old was attending his second ever party! Jacob has spent a significant amount of his life in hospitals, since first falling ill at 18 months old. Since then, he has spent a lot of time in at Great Ormond Street Hospital following bone marrow transplants, which required him to isolate for long periods. This has impacted Jacob’s ability to socialise and start school, but through our virtual sessions, he was able to sing and dance. Being able to host him and his mum at the party was such an immense privilege, and seeing him interact with our entertainers in person was touching.

As one mum said: “We have had the best day. You really don’t know how much this event has boosted my confidence to get out and do something. Leo being immunosuppressed after his heart transplant obviously makes him very open and vulnerable to infections but straight after clinic today we crossed that road and entered the park. I was anxious with the volume of people but my goodness I shouldn’t have been. Leo who has never ever had a summer out of hospital after going in at 8 months old and coming out at 2 years old. I always wondered how he would adapt to life outside… he embraced everything!!!! Thank you for getting us out and in a community where we feel safe, secure and happy. What I saw from Leo today was bonding, laughter, interaction and lots of new things to explore. I owe you the world and can’t find the words to thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

And another who said “What a dream today has been. Thank you so much Spread a Smile for a magical day. Everyone was thoroughly spoilt and Kallie has had the best day. From seeing her favourite fairy, to the bubbles, to the treats to the singing, today has been a dream. We are truly lucky to have such an amazing charity supporting Kallie and many other children who deserve the world and more throughout their journeys.”

We’d like to give a huge thank you to everyone who volunteered. Your commitment and selflessness allowed us to provide so much more fun and entertainment during the day. We’d also like to thank Derwent Art, Staedtler UK, Hunter Price International, Morrisons, Rainbow Designs, Spin Master, Costa Coffee, Swizzels, Tesco, Hasbro Under the Canvas, and City Scaffolding for their incredible generosity.

Finally, thank you to all who attended. Being able to put on events such as this is incredibly rewarding, and knowing that we can make a difference to your family is so special.

You can see more photos from the day on our Instagram!

We were delighted to partner with Camp Beaumont for a second consecutive year, throwing parties at five of their school sites across London on Friday 5^th August! This included, Colfe’s School, Mill Hill School, Kings College School, Claremont Fan Court School, St Helen’s School.

The events were attended by our amazing entertainers including singers, singing fairies, magicians, face painters who dazzled the children. There was a packed afternoon of activities including face painting, bouncy castle, playing guess the number of sweets in the jar and water fights. Younger ones loved listening to their favourite songs being sung by our singing fairies and asking them about life in fairy land!

We are hugely grateful to the team at Camp Beaumont for their generous support. In addition to helping to promote the work of Spread a Smile to the families attending the camps, they have also organised a raffle to raise funds in aid of our work. Thank you Camp Beaumont!

We were delighted to host one of our favourite artists, Charlotte Posner, at University College London Hospital in July. Charlotte was kind enough to donate some of her incredible artwork to patients in the teenage cancer ward, bringing some colour and vibrancy to the walls.

She also led a workshop with some younger patients, teaching them how to recreate one of her most famous, iconic pieces: the ice cream pop doll! Everyone who took part had an amazing time, and came away with a piece of art that they can keep in their room to remember the day.

Allowing these children to express their creativity is vitally important, as they are missing out on opportunities to do so outside of hospital, such as in school. Sessions like these also help children to take their mind off of their condition for a short time, and focus their energy and attention on something fun.

For parents, opportunities like this can be a huge relief, as they are able to see their children expressing themselves and being creative, which can be rare for many patients with serious conditions.

Charlotte has worked with iconic brands such as Louis Vuitton, Harrods, Brown Thomas, and Mr Men, so having her in the hospital, engaging with and teaching the children was an incredible privilege.

We’d like to thank Charlotte for her time and her generosity in giving so much to these young people. You can see more of her work here.

For children in hospital, opportunities to step away from a clinical environment and socialise are rare, but vital. For families, this is a chance to spend time together and make memories, while for children it also allows them to interact with people their own age going through similar experiences.

That’s why it was such a joy in July to take eight families to the Theatre Royal Haymarket to see one of our favourite books, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, come to life on the stage! The classic children’s picture book by Judith Kerr was first published in 1968 and is still one of the most popular and beloved stories.

It was wonderful to see the eyes of the children light up when the lights went down, as they were enthralled by the show! The show itself was marvellous, amusing and packed with sing-a-long songs for all to get involved with. The children and parents were hooked from start to finish.

We’d like to give a huge thank you to everyone in the The Tiger Who Came to Tea team for hosting us, and making the day so wonderful for all the children and their families.

To top off the amazing day, our guests were able to meet the tiger, and he even posed for some pictures with more members of the cast! You can see lots of photos from the day on our Instagram.

Taking time out of hospital is vital for children to feel some normality, excitement, and fun.

Last month, we were delighted to be able to take seventeen families on a Horrible Histories themed ‘Terrible Thames’ tour, followed by afternoon tea at The Tower Hotel on the banks of the River Thames.

During our scenic boat ride along the Thames, the children heard all about the history of one the most famous rivers in the world from the tour guide. They were told stories from Julius Caesar to Anne Boleyn and were given a fascinating lesson into the river’s past.

When they reached the end of the boat ride and went through to our tea party, they were met with a surprise –  some of our incredible entertainers, including Mr Magic, Judge the Poet, and the much loved Ellie the fairy. Resident artists were running face-painting and arts and crafts activities where our guests could make their own treasure chests. On top of all that, the very special and cuddly Spread a Smile mascot, Buddy Bear, was also dancing and having fun with everyone.

One parent who came on the tour said: “Thank you to Spread a Smile staff, entertainers, and volunteers for making it a memorable day full of love, fun, and light. Thank you for giving my daughter so much love too. I can’t tell you all how much Spread a smile is such a big part of her weekly life.”

We would like to say a massive thank you to Birmingham Stage Company for generously donating the tickets, and to the team from Goldman Sachs who volunteered on the day to help the event run smoothly and ensure the best possible experience was had by all.

Our in-person aromatherapy sessions are back!

Our aromatherapist, Priya Ganatra, has already visited children in Northwick Park Hospital, University College Hospital, and Great Ormond Street Hospital in recent weeks, to give both children and parents some well-deserved relaxation and head space.

For the children, Priya fully engages them in the session by asking them to guess the plant, fruit, or tree that the essential oil comes from, and showing them how to make their own aroma sticks.

For parents and carers, they are treated to a bespoke session with specially chosen oils and relaxation techniques. Parents often tell us that caring for their sick child in hospital has a huge impact, and they find they often cannot speak openly about it because they want to remain strong for the family. Having this time to focus on themselves in a safe space allows them to talk about anything they choose and receive a therapeutic session just for them.

Priya, our aromatherapist, said: ‘By offering families a safe space to engage in therapeutic activities and conversations that are of a non-medical nature, I have seen the profound impact aromatherapy within a hospital environment has. Parents utilise this time to receive gentle massage with essential oils, combined with breathing techniques, I have seen how their body language changes as they begin to relax.  They have often reported that the blend of oils and the impact of touch, has made a real difference to their emotional well-being, and this is important when looking after their critically ill child. Introducing children and young people to aromatherapy has been engaging, fun and given them a break from what they are going through. Whether we are making aroma sticks or receiving massages, their room is left filled with uplifting aromas that continue to spread smiles!”      

We first started working with Priya in February 2020, when we did our first parent pamper day at Great Ormond Street Hospital. While the pandemic halted these events, we were able to start doing virtual aromatherapy sessions, with pre-delivered materials at University College Hospital. Even over Zoom, parents found that being able to take part in mindfulness and breathing exercises was a welcome respite.

Now that we’re able to be back in hospitals Priya is doing parent aromatherapy days twice a month, alongside continuing to do virtual sessions, and bespoke sessions for individual families.

If you’re interested in getting involved in Priya’s sessions, you can email the Spread a Smile team at events@spreadasmile.org to book an aromatherapy session for you or your child in hospital.

We met mum-of-two, Ushma, in March 2020, right at the beginning of the pandemic, when her five-year-old daughter was suddenly taken ill and had to spend five weeks in Great Ormond Street Hospital. This was a confusing and incredibly worrying time for both mum and daughter as specialists rallied around doing all they could for Ushma’s daughter whilst the country was going into its first lockdown.

In amongst the uncertainty, we were able to offer a glimmer of sunshine and distraction for Ushma’s daughter whom we had the pleasure of meeting when she joined our virtual art session one week. As she began to feel better, we were so happy to see her getting involved in our virtual magic shows and singing lessons too.

During the daytime, we could provide some distraction from the worries around her and help bat away the anxious clouds for a while. Yet, at night-time, these fears would return, and she would find it very difficult to get to sleep.

Ushma said: ‘As a mother, being alone in hospital with my poorly child was one of the hardest and most testing times ever. I just wanted to take her pain away and I felt entirely helpless. All I could do was show her love, compassion, and a huge smile whenever I was around her. However, when I was up at night with her, I wish I had someone to talk to or I wish that I could have helped her settle better to sleep amidst all the noises, traumatic experiences of the day and the anxieties of doing it all over again tomorrow.’

Ushma’s daughter was discharged with a diagnosis of AHUS – an ultra-rare autoimmune disease – and the support of an at-home nursing team. Although it was a relief to be home, the trauma of being so poorly in hospital continued to affect her sleep.

 ‘She would say to me: “Mummy, I have lots of tabs open in my mind, that’s why I can’t sleep, can you help me close them?” It was then that I started to explore all the ways I could help her switch off and release her anxieties.’

Ushma found reading detailed stories to her helped calm her before bed and soothed her to sleep.

‘That’s when I started to write and record myself reading mindful sleep stories and guided meditation and visualisation for other parents who were going through the same situation with their children. That was when The Mindful Almond was born. Now, both my children listen to the mindful stories before bed and it really helps them switch off.’

The Mindful Almond now offers a range of mindful sleep stories that parents can access to help their children who are having trouble sleeping. These stories sit amongst a collection of mindfulness resources that all aim to help bring some warmth and comfort to children at bedtime.

Laura Walter, Director of Services at Spread a Smile, says: ‘We are so supportive of the work the Mindful Almond does and are really looking forward to having her at our summer party. We’re pleased to say that families will also be able to tune into Smile TV for more videos on mindfulness from The Mindful Almond very soon, and we’re hoping to be able to bring bedtime story virtual sessions for children in hospital towards the end of this year.’

You can find out more information about the wonderful work The Mindful Almond does at https://www.themindful-almond.com/

Also access free sleep stories for children via Spotify or guided meditation for adults on Anchor.

Last week, two of Spread a Smile’s most daring supporters, Andrew Bloom and Jon Benton, took on a mighty challenge to kayak 100km across the glorious Greenlandic fjords.

Although it sounds idyllic, our two daredevils travelled deep into the Arctic circle for a tough seven-day expedition of camping in the wild, rowing the icy waters, and then hiking across the craggy Qaleralig glacier.

While training for their expedition, they were busy trying to raise as much money as possible, and have already surpassed their £10,000 fundraising target.

Jon and Andrew said: ‘We wanted to raise as much money has possible for Spread a Smile. We have fully funded this expedition ourselves so that every penny raised can help fund the great work that they do.’

We were cheering them on from afar as they set out on their trek, and were thrilled to be able to celebrate their achievement with them when they returned to the warm(er) shores of the UK.

Thank you so much to Andrew and Jon for all the money they have raised to support the work we do. We hope you appreciated the blankets, hot choccies, and plenty of smiles we had ready for you on your return!

You can find out more about Jon and Andrew’s story on their fundraising page here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/arctickayak