News

Mia’s Monopoly Mitzvah

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At 6am one Saturday morning in September, 11 year old Mia set off with her Dad, Gideon, to complete an incredible ‘Monopoly Board Walk’ fundraiser as part of Mia’s bat mitzvah.

Covering over 21km in 6.5hours, Mia and Gideon visited all of the properties which appear on the original London Monopoly Board, raising over £1,600 so far to help spread smiles to seriously ill children, young people and their families.

Mia said, “I know that I am extremely lucky be able to celebrate my bat mitzvah. In order to help others I walked the monopoly board around London with my Dad to raise money to help children and families across the UK supported by the charity Spread a Smile. I also plan to spend time in the Spread a Smile office to find out more about the fantastic people that run this amazing charity.”

We are so grateful to Mia and her Dad for all their effort and support. Lucy Jackson, Spread a Smile Chief Executive said, “It’s incredibly special when young people choose to raise funds for other young people and we were so touched when Mia contacted us to tell us about her Monopoly Board Walk. We are really looking forward to Mia volunteering with us in the office and hearing more about her challenge. As a charity that doesn’t receive any government funding, we rely completely on the generosity of our donors and supporters so that we can continue with our work. Thank you Mia and Gideon for all that you have done.”

You can donate to Mia’s fundraising page here.

An amazing day at the Royal Parks Half Marathon

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What a brilliant day yesterday with Team Smile for the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London!

67 runners joined us to take on the beautiful 13.1-mile course on closed roads and within four of London’s eight Royal Parks – Hyde Park, The Green Park, St James’s Park and Kensington Gardens.

This was our largest team to date including some of our amazing supporters and fundraisers, our Head of Family Events, Natalie Donaldson, 28 runners from the Corinthia Hotel and friends from Mishcon de Reya, Hamilton Court Foreign Exchange, Downing LLP, Blackrock and Convex Insurance.

“What an incredible day to be part of. I loved every second of it and running in aid of Spread a Smile made it all the more special. It was an emotional endurance text which I would 100% do all over again.” Natalie Donaldson, Spread a Smile Head of Family Events

It was a beautifully sunny day and we loved welcoming and meeting all our runners in our first ever Spread a Smile marquee. Our Co-founders Josephine Segal and Vanessa Crocker and Chief Executive Lucy Jackson were there on the day along with the Spread a Smile team to cheer everyone on.

Thanks to the incredible support and efforts of our amazing fundraisers, over £29,000 has been raised to support our vital work spreading smiles to seriously ill children and young people in hospital.

A huge thank you to all of our runners. We salute you!

Please email Rimi at rimi@spreadasmile.org to join Team Smile for one of our fundraising challenges, including the London Landmarks Half Marathon on 7 April 2024.

Celebrating World Smile Day 2023

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October 6 is World Smile Day and is all about making people smile, through laughter and kindness.

At Spread a Smile we love making people smile every day, but today we have some extra special things planned to help spread even more smiles to the seriously ill children, young people and families we support.

We have a lovely afternoon tea party planned with the team at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) for parents of children on Fox and Rabbit wards. Our amazing friends at Brigit’s Bakery have generously donated 20 delicious afternoon teas for parents to enjoy and two of our talented entertainers will be joining in the fun with music and singing. Our aromatherapist, Priya will also be at GOSH delivering pamper sessions for parents and much needed moments of relaxation and calm. We’re hoping to see many smiles across the hospital from families and the hospital teams alike.

What’s more, Spread a Smile entertainers will be sharing lots of smiles with patients undergoing proton beam therapy at University College Hospital. We really do hope that all of our activities will spread many smiles and bring a little joy.

World Smile Day was initiated by Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Worcester, Massachusetts, known for creating the iconic smiley face symbol in 1963. He believed that his creation had become too commercialised and wanted to devote a day to genuine smiles and acts of kindness.

We are extremely grateful for some acts of kindness and support from two of our partners for World Smile Day. Alongside their afternoon tea donation, Brigit’s Bakery will kindly donate 10% from every order placed on World Smile Day. Plus, the amazing team at Mildreds have created a special trio of macrons with all profits from sales this month being donated to Spread a Smile. They will also be adding an optional £1 onto guest bills across their restaurants from 1- 14 October. Find out more here.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to Brigit’s Bakery, Mildreds, our hospital partners and all our supporters for helping Spread a Smile do what we do best, today and beyond.

Meet Cary, Spread a Smile fundraiser

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On Sunday 8 October an incredible 67 runners will join Team Smile for the Royal Parks Half Marathon. One of our amazing runners is Cary Driscoll who is taking on this beautiful run in aid of Spread a Smile. We spoke to Cary about why he is running and his top tips for fundraising!

Why have you joined Team Smile for the Royal Parks Half Marathon?

 “I came across Spread a Smile back in 2018 when a family friend’s daughter received visits from their entertainers in hospital. I was touched by the concept and the impact it has on the child and their siblings and parents. So, I decided to run the London Marathon for Spread a Smile in 2019 and it made the incredible experience even more special. I’m really looking forward to taking on the Royal Parks Half as well.”

Is this your first half marathon?

“I have run the Royal Parks Half Marathon twice before, (too long ago to remember the first one!) and it is my favourite half marathon. The crowds as you run into the Hyde Park entrance after running past Buckingham Palace has stuck in my mind ever since. I can’t wait to experience this again for Spread a Smile.”

How have you found the training?

“I know that my marathon days are past me due to cumulative injuries to different parts of my legs and feet!  I’ve found training challenging as a new and wonderful heel injury called Plantar Fasciitis which makes walking very painful for days after a run.  I’ve been managing this by reducing the amount of runs I do and gratefully I’m good to go for Sunday. Team Smile have been brilliant at supporting and motivating me in my training and when I think of the families I’m fundraising to support, I know it will all be worth it.”

What are you looking forward to the most?

“I’m really looking forward to waving to the Spread a Smile supporters at Mile 9 and even more so at Mile 12! I know they will bring plenty of smiles and cheers to help me along. It’s great to know I’m part of a big team that are behind each other every step of the way.”

Any tips for fundraising?

“Regular, but not too regular social media reminders, concentrating on the incredible work Spread a Smile do. I find it strikes a chord with many people who were not previously aware of Spread a Smile, and even if the publicity doesn’t result in immediate donations, it will plant a seed for later – for your fundraising or someone else who fund raises for Spread a Smile in the future.”

Good luck to Cary and all our runners. We’ll be there to cheer you on!

If you’re inspired and would like to join Team Smile for future fundraising challenges, please email Rimi at rimi@spreadasmile.org – why not take one of our places for the London Landmarks Half Marathon in April 2024? Find out more here.

Announcing our new partnership with Abound

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We are proud to announce a new partnership with lending specialists Abound. Not only will they generously be supporting Spread a Smile by making a donation for every one of their loans originated, but their team will also be taking part in Spread a Smile challenge events and volunteering at our family parties and theatre trips.

Mark London, Chief Risk Officer for Abound said about the partnership, “We have seen, first-hand, the incredible difference Spread a Smile makes to the families they support.  Abound is honoured to be supporting their brilliant work.”

Support from companies such as Abound makes a huge difference to Spread a Smile and we’re extremely grateful to them for helping to fund our work bringing joy and laughter to children in hospital and at home.

“Thank you to everyone at Abound and their customers for supporting Spread a Smile and helping to ensure we can continue our work spreading smiles to seriously ill children and young people. Together we’ll be able to reach even more young people and their families during some of the most difficult times of their lives. We are looking forward to a long and meaningful partnership. Lucy Jackson, Spread a Smile Chief Executive

To find out more about how you or your company can get involved with Spread a Smile and support our vital work, please get in touch with Amanda Azouz by email at amanda@spreadasmile.org

Family theatre trip a roaring success

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Spread a Smile family outings and theatre trips provide the families we support with an opportunity to spend time together, relax and experience something very special.

Last month, we organised a wonderful West End theatre trip to see The Lion King in London, with 14 families joining in the fun, including some of the seriously ill children we support along with their parents/carers and siblings.

We always make a fuss of our VIP guests and as usual, everyone enjoyed a lovely pre-show party with pizza and delicious treats from Lola’s cupcakes and NUNOSH. Our families loved meeting some of our team of entertainers, with Spread a Smile magicians, balloon artists, singers, fairies and face painters, all helping to share the Spread a Smile magic. One parent said, “The way you make them laugh is like no other. Thank you so, so, so much. Another ‘best day ever’.”

After sitting down to enjoy the show, our guests enjoyed a meet and greet with two of the cast members, providing a chance to make memories which will stay with them for years to come.

We’re so grateful to all of our supporters and everyone involved for helping to make these days possible. Particular thanks to Disney, Lola’s Cupcakes and Nu Nosh. Also, to our volunteers on the day from our corporate partners, Texel Foundation, West One Loans/Enra, Downing, ICAP and Uncommon.

To find out more about our outings and events and how we support the families of seriously ill children and young people, please click here.

Mildreds’ macarons help spread smiles

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Looking for a tasty treat which gives back during October? Then look no further than Mildreds and their sister restaurant Mallow.

To celebrate World Smile Day on 6 October, Mildreds have created a special trio of macrons with all profits from sales of this delicious treat being donated to the charity during October.

Each macaron has a different flavour which represents the Spread a Smile colours: sour cherry jam for pink, chocolate orange ganache for orange, and vanilla bean buttercream for blue. And, are as delicious as they look!

Mildreds and Mallow are a group of plant-based restaurants with venues in Camden, Covent Garden, Soho, Kings Cross, Dalston (Mildreds) and Borough Market and Canary Wharf (Mallow).

They have been supporting Spread a Smile for over a year, welcoming some of the families we support for regular afternoon teas at their restaurant in Covent Garden.

Sam Anstey, Managing Director at Mildreds said, “We are so proud to be working with such a special charity so close to our hearts. Spread a Smile do amazing work and all our teams are so pleased to be able to support them. It has been great to be involved and to experience the impact that Spread a Smile have in helping others.”

Alongside the macarons, Mildreds will also be fundraising for Spread a Smile by adding an optional £1 onto guest bills across their restaurants from 1- 14 October.

Vanessa Crocker Spread a Smile Co-founder said, “Mildreds have been a wonderfully supportive partner over the past year, helping to provide moments of respite and relaxation through their afternoon teas for some of the families we support. We’re excited to see their plans for October and World Smile Day and are so grateful to all of the team for their continued support and enthusiasm.”

Please do show your support for Mildreds during October and help us raise as much as possible to ensure we can continue to spread smiles to seriously ill children and young people when they need it most.

Find your nearest Mildreds and Mallow restaurants here.

What a night! B&C Awards 2023

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Spread a Smile was delighted to be chosen as charity partner for this years B&C Awards, held at the prestigious Hurlingham Club in London last Thursday night.

The Awards, organised by Medianett Publishing in association with Market Finance Solutions, celebrate companies and individuals from the specialist finance market, with 30 awards handed out on the night.

Spread a Smile Chief Executive, Lucy Jackson along with our Head of Fundraising Amanda Azouz and Mr Magic joined guests for a wonderful evening centred around the theme of the Rio de Janeiro Carnival. An amazing £19,000 was raised on the night through pledges and a silent auction to help spread smiles to seriously ill children and young people and their families.

“After hearing the stories about the amazing work Spread A Smile does for thousands of children with acute or chronic conditions every year, we were delighted to team up with Spread a Smile at this year’s B&C Awards as our charity partner.” said Medianett Publishing’s Managing Director Beth Fisher.

“After Lucy gave her heartfelt speech and presented her video to our guests, magicians from Spread a Smile worked their magic to get donations from the crowd of over 780 professionals in the specialist finance industry throughout the night.

“We hope the generous donations towards the Silent Auction and from table holders will support this fantastic charity in spreading smiles to thousands more children.”

Andrew Bloom, owner of Spring Finance — who holds the charity close to his heart and recommended us as this year’s Awards partner — commented: “Spread A Smile is a truly special charity; what could be purer than bringing joy and laughter to a seriously ill child. In 2023, their entertainers will visit dozens of hospitals nationwide spreading smiles to thousands of children. I am delighted to be part of an industry that supports charities like these.”

Our thanks go to Spring Finance and Medianett Publishing for their wonderful support.

Please do get in touch with the team at fundraising@spreadasmile.org if you are interested in supporting our work. Thank you.

Teeing off in memory of Louie Hibberd

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For the last few years, the Hibberd family has generously supported Spread a Smile by organising a Golf Day in memory of their son Louie, who sadly lost his life to a brain tumour three years ago.

Spread a Smile supported Louie and his family whilst he was receiving treatment and it was the family’s aim to create a day that would act as a lasting tribute to Louie, bringing together family and friends and helping to keep Louie’s memory alive.

Stuart Hibberd, Louie’s Dad said, “We wanted to support Spread a Smile as it’s not a huge charity and yet it does such important work. We wanted to give something back and really make a difference to children in hospital, hopefully helping to make other families’ lives a bit more manageable during some of the most difficult times.”

This year’s Golf Day was an incredible event, bringing together 100 keen golfers for a fun and relaxed day of golf. One of Spread a Smile’s magicians was on hand on the course to spread some smiles and bring a little bit of extra fun to proceedings.

An amazing £11,408 was raised for Spread a Smile’s work bringing joy to seriously ill children in hospital, with additional donations going to the Paul Linger Foundation and the Golf Club’s charity.

Josephine Segal, Spread a Smile Co-founder and Trustee said, “It means a huge amount to me and everyone at Spread a Smile that we were able to support Louie and his family during Louie’s illness and that we remain part of each other’s families to this day. Even in the face of such a huge loss and heartache, the Hibberd family has created such a special tribute to Louie through their annual Golf Day. It is a very special celebration of his life and we feel so honoured that they have kept us close to their hearts, helping to ensure we can share our smiles with other families going through similar things. Thank you to Louie’s Dad Stuart, Mum Lisa, sisters Ella and Evie and everyone involved for being such an incredible part of the Spread a Smile family.”

A huge thank you to the Hibberd family for their support, kindness and commitment and everyone who supported this wonderful event in Louie’s memory.

Please do get in touch with the team at fundraising@spreadasmile.org if you are interested in supporting our work. Thank you.

 

 

Cycling miles for Spread a Smile – The Big 100

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Sometimes our supporters really do go the extra mile for Spread a Smile.

Carter Schwartz is a leading executive search boutique and more than familiar with overcoming challenging situations. So when it comes to encouraging a massive group of keen cyclists to join in their annual cycle ride, it was a breeze. This year the Carter Schwartz team relaunched the cycle ride as The Big 100 bringing participants from across healthcare and social care to ride either 100km or 100 miles through The Chilterns. They partnered with Spread A Smile to raise an incredible £15,434 to support our work bringing joy and laughter to seriously ill children, young people and their families.

Carter Schwart’s Founder and Managing Partner, Adam Carter said, “a record breaking cycle challenge – 47 riders, our largest group yet, raising an enormous £15K plus for the amazing Spread A Smile…Fantastic generosity in these pressing of times. I’m so proud of my team for going the extra mile, our amazing sponsors who supported this amazing day and of course all the riders who gave it their all.”

Lucy Jackson, Spread a Smile Chief Executive said, “The team at Carter Schwartz has been an inspiration to us at Spread a Smile over the last few months, working tirelessly to organise a fantastic fundraising event to support our work. We’re so grateful to everyone involved, including all of the riders and sponsors for their effort and commitment and for helping to raise such an incredible amount of money which will make such a difference to so many seriously ill children and their families. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” 

Carter Schwartz was introduced to the charity at our Gala Dinner earlier this year through long-term supporters, Downing, who also were also headline sponsors for this brilliant fundraising event.

Downing’s Head of Development Capital and Partner, Mark Gross said, “Downing and The Downing Foundation are proud to be headline sponsor of The Big 100 cycle ride. A huge thank you to Carter Schwartz for organising the event; bringing professionals together from across the healthcare industry and raising money and awareness for the wonderful healthcare charity Spread a Smile.”

Check out this short film from the event. The Big 100 – Cycle Challenge September 2023. – YouTube

Thank you to the event sponsors: Downing, Bracebridge, Bevan Brihan, Hazlewoods, Sensecheck, JEM Property, Shawbrook, Precious, Colliers, DC Advisory and Connell Consulting.