News

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

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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
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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

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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
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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.

Take on a Challenge for Spread a Smile in 2026

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Take on a Challenge and spread smiles in 2026

As we head into 2026, join us for one of our incredible fundraising challenge events, all designed to inspire, motivate and help ensure we can spread smiles to as many families as possible this year.

Getting running for Spread a Smile: Whether you’re looking to hit your first running target, or take on a greater distance, we have events across the country to suit every level. From the Women’s Run 5k and 10k in March, to the iconic Brighton Marathon in April and the Royal Parks Half Marathon in October, there is a finish line ready and waiting for you.

Running not your thing? Why not take part in the Great North Swim in June, with 1/2 mile, 1 mile, 2 mile, 5km and 10km distances. Or, if you’re looking for a thrill, take part in the 160ft Bungee Jump at Coram’s Field, in February and October 2026.

Take on a team triathlon with a difference: For those looking for a brilliant team challenge,  a join us for the Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Triathlon on Saturday 12 September, in partnership with Alder Hey Children’s Charity which will see you cycle, kayak and hike through the stunning heart of Snowdonia

Looking for inspiration? Find more events on our website and sign up for your challenge today knowing that with every step, pedal and paddle you take, you’ll be helping to raise vital funds to support Spread a Smile’s work providing entertainment and joy to seriously ill children in hospital.

Have your own idea? If you’re hosting your own challenge, let us know at fundraising@spreadasmile.org so we can support your journey!

 

snowdon news story

Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) Team Triathlon

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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Join us on 12 September 2026 for the incredible Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) Challenge – a triathlon set in the heart of Snowdonia National Park (Eryri), where you will venture through some of the UK’s most breath-taking landscapes by bicycle, kayak and on foot.

This unique triathlon includes:

  • A 15km cycle through the scenic roads of Snowdonia
  • A 3km kayak across the stunning glacial lake, Llyn Padarn
  • A 15km hike to the summit of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) via the Llanberis Path

This is not your average triathlon. Set against the dramatic Welsh landscape, the Yr Wyddfa Challenge offers a memorable and meaningful way to push yourself physically, enjoy spectacular landscapes all while raising vital funds to support Spread a Smile’s work bringing joy to young patients and their families.

The event is organised by Alder Hey Children’s Charity and, for the first time ever, brings together eight children’s charities – including Spread a Smile – for a shared fundraising challenge. Spread a Smile has been supporting Alder Hey with in-person entertainer hospital visits since December 2024, and we are proud to be taking part in this special event alongside other brilliant children’s charities.

Tasha Mann, Spread a Smile Events Manager says:
“This is such an exciting opportunity and a really special triathlon. The stunning Welsh scenery, the mix of hiking, kayaking and cycling – it’s not your usual challenge event. It’s the perfect plan to have in your 2026 calendar. Do it with a partner, a friend or a colleague, and show what you’re capable of – all while raising vital funds to spread smiles to seriously ill children and their families. Whether you’ve been personally touched by our work or simply believe in the cause, absolutely everyone is welcome – and all abilities are encouraged.”

By taking part, you’ll be joining an incredible community of supporters and helping us bring joy, distraction and moments of magic to children and young people facing serious illness.

Ready to take on the challenge?

Find out more and sign up by visiting our event page.

 

Christmas 2025 Spread a Smile round-up

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For families supported by Spread a Smile, Christmas can be a particularly challenging time, with hospital stays, treatments, and uncertainty often overshadowing the festive season.

This Christmas, Spread a Smile supported more seriously ill children, young people and their families than ever before through our festive initiatives, thanks to the wonderful support of our supporters, volunteers, donors, corporate partners and many other organisations who have helped make everything possible. Here’s a roundup of how we’ll be spreading smiles when they are needed most this Christmas. You can also watch the film here.

More Smile Hampers than ever before
We sent out 2,000 personalised Smile Hampers to seriously ill children and their siblings in time for Christmas – an increase from 1,874 in 2024. Each one was full of gifts hand-picked with each child in mind, with our friends from DPD generously supporting us by picking up the hampers every week and delivering them directly to homes in time for Christmas.

It was a huge team effort, with 480 volunteers joining us over 6 weeks from Monday 3 November to Friday 12 December, giving up over 120 hours of support to hand-pick thousands of gifts for the Smile Hampers. Our supporters and corporate partners helped by buying and donating thousands of gifts for the hampers, making everything possible.

Supporting our hospital and hospice partners
During December we carried out 87 in-person visits (more than ever before) to our NHS hospital and hospice partners, helping to spread some festive cheer. This included:

  • 15 visits by Father Christmas and the Spread a Smile elves to 11 of our NHS Hospital partners, giving the opportunity for children spending time in hospital to meet Santa and the Spread a Smile elves;
  • Visits to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) on Christmas Day generously funded by our friends at Whitepaper;
  • Support for Christmas Parties at 8 NHS hospital and one hospice partners (Helen & Douglas House).

A special virtual grotto for those unable to meet Santa in person
Our virtual Christmas Grotto gave children who wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to meet Father Christmas in-person the chance to have a personalised online meet up with the big man himself. Running from 22, 23, 24 December (for families), we welcomed over 125 children to visit our grotto, and also organised hospital sessions for children at Leicester Children’s Hospital, Wrexham Hospital and The Grange Hospital.

Beautiful festive windows in NHS hospitals
Spread a Smile’s Head of Art, Marina Constantinou and our team of artists visited some of our NHS hospital partners, including Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, to paint 100 beautiful Winter and Christmas murals across the hospital wards, walls and windows, helping to brighten up the clinical spaces and spread some festive cheer for the families and staff there. Look out for murals at Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice, Maidenhead, University College Hospital (UCLH), Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), The Whittington Hospital, Kings College Hospital, St Marys Hospital and The Royal Brompton Hospital.

Christmas Gift Treat Drops
Alongside our Smile Hampers, we delivered boxes of gifts to all 39 of our NHS hospital partners. Each box was packed full of gifts to be handed out to seriously ill children and young people and help spread some festive cheer.

In total 10,000 gifts have been sent out to seriously ill children and their siblings, in our Smile Hampers and also in Christmas treat boxes. These have been donated by generous individuals and companies.

Virtual entertainer sessions
Spread a Smile is also running virtual entertainer visits for seriously ill children and their siblings, from magic to music art and more. They mean that the children we support can enjoy our services from wherever they live and are particularly important for those who are isolating at home and unable to spend time with others outside of the family home. This year we organised festive virtual group sessions for the families we support, bringing Christmas cheer directly into their homes and including ‘Stories with Santa’ on Christmas Eve.

Festive Family Events and Outings
winter funland spread a smileSpread a Smile runs a calendar of special events and outings for the families we support to enjoy, from West End theatre and cinema trips to chocolate and pottery workshops, brunches, afternoon teas and so much more. They give the families we support the chance to spend time making memories together without the worry of illness and treatment plans. In December we welcomed over 100 of the families we support to two special Christmas themed events – an afternoon tea at vegan restaurant, Mildreds, and also a trip to Winter Funland at Olympia London, for whom Spread a Smile is a charity partner.

In total, we’ll be spreading over 5,000 smiles this festive season, bringing joy, happiness and special festive moments to families with seriously ill children across the country.