News

Announcing our new Family Fun Day

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Spread a Smile is delighted to announce its newest fundraising event, our first ever Family Fun Day, generously supported by Sharesy and in collaboration with Non-Stop Action.

To be held on Saturday 28 September at Holly Park Primary School, London N11, the Family Fun Day is a day for our supporters and their families to enjoy, packed full of family-friendly activities, exciting games, and amazing entertainment, all while raising funds to support Spread a Smile.

Our guests will take on the challenge of completing different activity stations, working together as a team to win certificates and prizes. There will also be the chance to meet and see Spread a Smile’s amazing entertainers in action, with magic, music, arts and crafts, face-painting and more.

This fun-filled day out is a great opportunity for our friends and supporters to experience first-hand the joy and laughter Spread a Smile brings to families across the country, helping to raise vital funds to support seriously ill children and their families when they need us most.

A family ticket costs just £25 and you can register for the Family Fun Day here!

The event is generously sponsored by our friends at Sharesy. Felix Atkins, Founder, CEO at Sharesy shared with us his motivation for supporting the Family Fun Day “In March 2021, my son was diagnosed with an auto-inflammatory disease, my priorities and focus shifted in ways I could never have imagined. My wife, Vicki, and I spent the next six weeks in a small hospital room with our little boy, swapping every three days to spend time with our daughter at home. It was every parent’s nightmare. 

“Fortunately, the team at Great Ormond Street Hospital were amazing. We were also supported by the amazing team at Spread a Smile. This wonderful charity brings joy and laughter to seriously ill and hospitalised children and their families during long hospital stays. 

“Coincidentally, we discovered that we shared the same co-working office as Spread a Smile in Highbury. We have since moved to a new location near Archway and whilst we miss the wonderful team at Spread a Smile, we take every opportunity to help them with fundraising or preparing gifts for the children they support. 

“My son’s diagnosis was undoubtedly life-changing, but it also showed me how strong we can be when we come together during difficult times. It certainly puts the stresses of running a start up into perspective and we are delighted to be able to support the Spread Smile Family Fun Day and help spread smiles to even more children and young people when they need it most.”

If you are interested in finding out more about the sponsorship opportunities for this event, please contact our Community Fundraising Manager, Tasha Mann at tashamann@spreadasmile.org or sign up to our enews to stay up to date.

With thanks to Sharesy for their support:

5-a-side Football Tournament success

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Last Thursday saw Spread a Smile’s fifth annual 5-a-side Football Tournament take place, this time at Powerleague Shepherd’s Bush.

The sun was shining and we were delighted to welcome our teams for a competitive day of football and fun, with Spread a Smile magician Gary on hand to help keep everyone entertained in between games.

The tournament was closely fought, with Corinthia London emerging victorious and winning the cup, with Enra Specialist Finance coming a close second. Also congratulations to BN McVitie’s who won the plate.

Imogen Slazenger, Spread a Smile’s Head of Fundraising attended on the day saying, “It was a pleasure to welcome so many supporters and new friends for this brilliant event. A huge thank you to all everyone who joined us for their energy, enthusiasm and commitment helping to raise thousands of pounds to support our work spreading smiles to seriously ill children and their families when they’re needed most. We hope to see you back next year!”

Please get in touch with Alicia by emailing alicia@spreadasmile.org to find out more about next year’s football tournament or how you can support one of our other events.

Canary Wharf Contractors Fund Golf Day

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Earlier this month on a beautiful Summer’s Day, our friends at Canary Wharf Contractors Fund held their hugely popular charity Golf Day at London Golf Club.

The event is held every year to raise funds for their charity partners and Spread a Smile was honoured to be amongst them, with the charity’s Chief Executive, Lucy Jackson and Head of Fundraising, Imogen Slazenger attending on the day.

Welcoming almost 200 golfers to play on the renowned Jack Nicklaus designed championship course, the event was one to remember, with two of our brilliant magicians also joining in the fun with magic, tricks and fun for guests.

Lucy Jackson said, “We are so grateful to everyone at Canary Wharf Contractors Fund for their ongoing belief in and support of our work, helping to spread smiles to seriously ill children and young people across the country. Thank you to all those involved including everyone who played, bid on the silent auction, donated on the day and helped raise much needed funds for Spread a Smile and the other worthy causes.”

Please do get in touch with our Head of Fundraising, Imogen by emailing imogen@spreadasmile.org if you would like to chat about supporting Spread a Smile through a (fundraising) event.

Welcome Rosie, Alicia and Tash

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We are delighted to welcome three new members to the Spread a Smile family, Rosie Kimberley-Brooks who joins the Services team as Admin and Logistics Coordinator and Alicia Marriott and Tash Newall who join the fundraising team as Fundraising Manager and Fundraising and Events Officer respectively.

Read on to meet our brilliant new starters…

“I’m Alicia and I’m the new Fundraising Manager for Spread a Smile. I’ll be working on managing our Trusts & Foundations portfolio and also supporting our corporate partners and Spread a Smile’s special events – the next one being our Golf Days on the 18/19 September.

“I previously worked in the Fundraising Team at the Holocaust Educational Trust, where I gained extensive experience in all aspects of fundraising. I’m thrilled to join Spread a Smile’s fundraising family and am so excited for this new opportunity. It is a privilege to work for such a worthwhile cause.”

“My name is Rosie and I fulfil a new role for the charity within the Services team, supporting the everyday organisation of our activities with and for the families we support. My job is literally what it says on the tin; admin and logistics, and I love it already. I’ll be supporting the charity by focusing on organising various different things, ranging from stock taking of toys and donations, to sending out packs of new posters to the hospitals we support. We have the huge Summer Party coming up at the end of July, and a big task for me is sourcing donations from various brands. I’m really excited to see the gifts and donations when they all come in and please do reach out if you think you can support or donate in any way.”

“Before joining Spread a Smile I worked in the film and TV industry for 6+ years but was always left feeling like there was something more fulfilling out there for me. I saw that Spread a Smile had a job opening and I was so excited; the job role fits me like a glove. I’m most looking forward to being able to work hard and contribute to such a wonderful organisation.”

“I’m Tash, Spread a Smile’s new Fundraising and Events Officer and I support the fundraising team in general and particularly the running of our well-established events as well as supporting our Fundraising manager to develop new and engaging events. After just completing our Spread a Smile 5-a-side Football Tournament, which was such a success, we are now working towards our Golf days, which are already shaping up to be a wonderful couple of days!

“I recently graduated from University and from my degree I discovered my passion for events, although a part of me has always wanted to help children too. That is when I discovered Spread a Smile, and I admired their passion and work ethic, something I feel very proud to be a part of. I am most looking forward to bringing these events to life and getting the chance to see these smiles in person!”

Welcome to the Spread a Smile family Alicia, Rosie and Tash.

B&C Awards raise over £25,000

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The 2024 Bridging & Commercial (B&C) Awards, sponsored by West One took place on 6 June at the Hurlingham Club, with Spread a Smile delighted to be the official charity partner for the second year running.

It was an incredible event celebrating individuals and organisations across the specialist finance industry. The theme of Alice in Wonderland created a beautiful and engaging backdrop for proceedings.

During the awards, Paresh Raja, CEO of Market Financial Solutions (MFS), promised to match the donations made at the Awards, bringing the total raised for Spread a Smile to over £25,000.

Paresh Raja, CEO of MFS, said: “It’s so important that events like this, as well as celebrating the great and good of the industry, also support worthwhile causes and charities. The B&C Awards have consistently done that over the years, with Spread a Smile having been the partner of choice for the past two years. So, thanks go to the B&C team and, of course, to all those who donated on the night – it’s great that we’ve collectively manage to raise such a healthy sum for this wonderful charity. No doubt that money will further the amazing work everyone at Spread a Smile is doing.”

A huge thank you to Paresh and everyone involved in the awards and on the day for their support and kindness, helping us to bring joy and laughter to seriously ill and hospitalised children and their families during long hospital stays.

Lucy Jackson, Spread a Smile Chief Executive attended the awards saying, “An enormous thank you to the B&C Awards for having us back for a second year and to our partner and event sponsor, West One and to all those who bid on the silent auction and donated so generously. We are incredibly grateful to Paresh at MFS for his generosity. It was an incredible moment during the awards ceremony when he told me he’d be matching however much was raised on the day! All funds raised will support our work, spreading smiles to seriously ill children in hospital.”

In total, 750 guests attended, and 27 winners were announced in the bridging, commercial, development, and BTL mortgage markets. A special mention to our long-term supporter Danny Waters, CEO at Enra Specialist Finance who won the Outstanding Contribution Award. Read more about the Awards and winners here.

Fintern take on 3 peaks challenge

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Our fundraisers really are incredible, going the extra mile for Spread a Smile and raising funds through a range of different challenges and activities. Earlier this month a brilliant team from one of our corporate partners, Fintern/Abound, took on the Three Peaks Challenge in aid of Spread a Smile. climbing the three highest mountains in the UK in just 24 hours.

We spoke to Mark London, Chief Risk Officer at Fintern about the experience.

“Our Three Peaks team consisted of 12 staff members, plus two special guests from HSBC and EY. We set off on day one with a spring in our step for our first (and highest) peak, Ben Nevis, standing at 1,343 metres tall and the highest mountain in the UK.

“Sadly, the weather conditions were not on our side with polar gale force winds knee deep snow and a -15c wind chill factor making for arctic conditions at the summit. As a result, all organised tours were turned around at Corner 8, (approximately 1,200 metres) due to the need for additional gear to safely continue. It felt a bit frustrating not to reach the summit, but it was out of our control, and we were proud to have reached where we did in such difficult conditions. All in all, our first peak took 4 hours 40 and it was then on to the Lake District to take on Scafell Pike.

“Standing at 978 metres, Scafell Pike is England’s highest peak and welcomed us with much better weather conditions. The scenery was amazing as we approached in the evening sun, driving alongside Wast Water and the view from the top was so lovely. The team made it up and down in a speedy 2 hours 57 minutes, which we were really pleased with. We felt energised and even sprinted the last part of the descent to be sure to get in under three hours!

“Last stop was Mount Snowdon in Wales, and we were pleased to have good conditions for most of the way up before being met with strong, cold winds at the summit (1,085 metres). The round trip up and down Wales’s highest mountain, took a respectable 4 hours.”

“This was the second time I’ve undertaken the Three Peaks Challenge in support of Spread a Smile, and it was brilliant to do it again, this time with colleagues as a team building exercise and to raise even more funds for our charity partner. There was a huge sense of camaraderie as together we covered 26 miles (plus quite a few more in the van), climbed for nearly 11 hours and reached a total of nearly 2,900 metres and all in just 24 hours. What’s more, together we’ve raised over £3.5k to help spread smiles to seriously ill children and their families, which makes the effort even more worthwhile. “

Feeling inspired? Please do get in touch with the team to find out more about fundraising for us. Email fundraising@spreadasmile.org today!

Support our Summer Party

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On Thursday 25 July, over 400 guests will join us for the annual Spread a Smile Summer Party, described by one parent as “the most fun per square metre in London.”

The Summer Party is a wonderful free event where we welcome the seriously ill children and young people we support along with their siblings and family members for a fun-filled day with loads of activities, entertainment and treats.

The party will take place at Coram’s Fields because of its proximity to Great Ormond Street Hospital, which means even more children receiving treatment will be able to join us.

Families can register to join our Summer Party here.

We want to make this our best Summer Party yet and give our families some very happy memories to treasure forever. Please donate what you can to help us to do just that.

£50 could pay for glitter tattoo kits so we can adorn all the guests with a sparkly tattoo

£100 could pay for nail varnish for our nail bar and as take-home gifts afterwards (which is for infection control purposes)

£500 could pay for all the drinks at the party

£750 could pay for reusable water bottles to gift to all children at the party

£1,000 could pay for costumes for our fancy dress corner

£1,500 could pay for chocolate, sweets, crisps and fruit

£2,500 could pay for art supplies for arts and crafts activities, including tote bag decorating, friendship bracelet making and lots more.

Donate here!

Thank you so much for your support.

Our Summer Party is back!

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Exciting news! The Spread a Smile Summer Party for the families we support will return to Coram’s Fields, London, on Thursday 25 July.

This very special free event will welcome hundreds of children and young people supported by Spread a Smile

along with their siblings, families and carers to spend a magical fun filled day with us. With stalls, games, activities, singing, music, magic, balloons, bubbles, delicious food and so much more, the aim is to provide an opportunity for families to enjoy a day out together, away from the pressures of treatment and illness.

Register here

Laura Walter, Director of Services for Spread a Smile said, “The whole Spread a Smile team is getting so excited for our annual Summer Party as it’s a real highlight of the year for everyone involved. As usual we’ve been working hard to make sure this year’s event is the biggest and best yet, with amazing support from some of our partners. There’ll be slime making with Slime Planet, a LEGO station, games and Play-Doh fun with Hasbro, biscuit decorating with McVitie’s, animal experiences with Anna’s Animals and loads of arts and crafts activities led by the Spread a Smile team and volunteers. This year we’ll also welcome our friends from Freddie’s Flowers for flower crown making, host an interactive gaming tent and be on the lookout for footballing talent with our giant inflatable football goal.

“There will be a chance to meet many of the Spread a Smile entertainers who will be there performing and spreading smiles and our VIP guests can look forward to lots of delicious treats from our wonderful friends at Lola’s cupcakes, Brigit’s Bakery, Mildred’s and the Wandering Pizza Company.

“We are looking forward to treating lots of the children and young people we support, along with their siblings and families to a very special fun day making lasting memories.”

Find out how you can support our 2024 Summer Party!

Pre-registration is required to attend, and you can sign up for free here.

Date: Thursday 25 July, 11am-3pm

Where: Coram’s Fields, 93 Guildford Street, London WC1N 1DN

Who’s it for? Families with children and young people up to the age of 18 with a long-term illness or condition and/or under ongoing care with a UK NHS hospital. We welcome siblings and family members too.

Family event for teens at Mallow

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Mallow is a 100% plant-based restaurant in the heart of London’s Borough Market and earlier this month Spread a Smile welcomed some of the families we support to the restaurant for a delicious vegan brunch.

 

The event was specifically aimed at young people over the age of 12 and a bespoke, engaging opportunity for them to enjoy themselves and meet other young people in a beautiful setting over brunch. Being a teenager in hospital and undergoing treatment for serious illness can feel extremely challenging when you have to spend long periods of time away from friends and social activities. The entertainment options often feel much more limited, and it can prove to be an extremely isolating time.

 

The brunch provided a special time for our teens to be teenagers together and it was lovely to see everyone chatting away together and spending quality time with their families.

 

As usual, we made sure our Spread a Smile entertainers brought some extra joy to the morning, with our spontaneous poet Judge the Poet sharing his talents and Rosie providing music and singing to help spread smiles.

 

Mallow is the sister venue of Mildred’s restaurants who have partnered with and supported Spread a Smile for a number of years. We are so grateful to the amazing team at mallow for making us so welcome and to everyone from Mallow and Mildred’s for going the extra mile to help provide these wonderful experiences for our families.

 

Please get in touch if you’d like to explore ways to support Spread a Smile through our creative partnership opportunities.

First International Day of Play

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Yesterday marked the first ever International Day of Play – a campaign coordinated by a network of organisations, initiated by the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation and designed to firmly put play back on the agenda for children everywhere.

Play opens up a whole world of possibilities. It enables children to find time and space to explore their creativity and reach their full potential. It is an essential part of childhood and is at the very heart of mental, social and emotional growth and well-being.

Every day, Spread a Smile sees the benefits of play for the children and young people we support. When a child is seriously ill, undergoing treatment and spending long periods of time in hospital, it is important that play continues to be part of their life, at a time when they can feel most isolated and vulnerable.

We are delighted that the United Nations General Assembly has adopted 11 June as an annual International Day of Play and today we celebrated in style.

Our entertainers joined forces with our friends from Hasbro to visit children and young people at some of our NHS hospital partners yesterday, encouraging group play in the communal playrooms through fun sessions and activities including board games, Play-Doh, magic, music and singing. We also visited children at their bedside and wider numbers across the country through a virtual LEGO play session online.

Laura Walter, Director of Services for Spread a Smile said, “Play and having fun are at the heart of everything we do at Spread a Smile and we know first-hand how important they are for a child’s development, particularly when they are unwell and not able to spend time with family and friends. We are delighted to be part of the first ever International Day of Play, providing ways for children in hospital to simply laugh, play and do things that all children should be able to do.”

Thank you to the LEGO Group for all their work making this day possible and to Hasbro for their continued support, giving up their time, leaving games and Play Doh for the children we met and helping us to spread smiles for the first ever International Day of Play.

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