News

Afternoon tea at Riding House Cafe Bloomsbury

Afternoon tea party at Riding House Café

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

We were delighted to welcome 14 young people and their families to Riding House Café in Bloomsbury for a delicious afternoon tea this week. Guests enjoyed a beautiful selection of tea, sandwiches and cakes, with Spread a Smile entertainers, magician Nick and Fairy Jo bringing additional laughter and fun.

These special events provide a break for the families we support, providing a chance to relax, have fun and enjoy quality time together.

For young patients, these events also provide a vital chance to socialise with others, which is particularly important when long hospital stays mean time away from school. In addition, families have a great opportunity to connect and find support from others who are on a similar journey.

Our family events are at the heart of what we do at Spread a Smile. We understand the profound impact that long hospital stays have on every family member, and these events provide a much-needed day of fun, respite, and relaxation for patients, siblings, and their parents.

We are incredibly grateful to our partners, such as Riding House Café, for their support in making these events happen. Their partnership is invaluable, as they not only enable these events but also provide ongoing support by adding a 25p donation to each customer’s bill, helping raise vital funds and allows us to bring joy to more children and families.

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Spread a Smile Padel Tournament

Padel Tournament 2025 – a smash hit!

 740 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

Last week, we were delighted to host our third Padel tournament at Stratford Padel Club. Generously sponsored by Enra, our tournament welcomed 16 teams for a day of fierce competition, with players from Enra, Texel, HCFX, HILCO Capital, and Peel Hunt.

Each team brought their finest skills and competitive spirit to the court, and after a series of suspense-filled matches, Team Peel Hunt took home the trophy.

Alongside the competition, our Spread a Smile entertainer was on hand to bring even more fun to the day with his incredible magic and card tricks. It was a wonderful opportunity for our guests to see the magic our entertainers bring to seriously ill children and their families.

We finished the day with a raffle, with the chance to win a signed cricket bat donated by the ECB, a pair of tickets to the Spread a Smile comedy night on 17 November, and two rackets donated by Stratford Padel Club. It was great to see so many people win fantastic prizes!

A huge thank you to our sponsor Enra, all teams who took part and to Stratford Padel Club. Thanks to your incredible support, we raised vital funds that will help us spread even more smiles to seriously ill children and their families.

Feeling inspired?

Snap up one of our places for the Vitality 10k on 28 September, or sign up to our e-newsletter here to stay up to date with our upcoming events.

 

Fundraiser of the month: 2 Peaks challenge

Fundraisers of the month: Alice and Sophie

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

Our incredible fundraising community is key to Spread a Smile, helping us raise vital funds to spread smiles to seriously ill children in hospital. For August, we’re shining our Fundraiser of the Month spotlight on 12-year-old Alice and Sophie, who recently took on the 2 Peak Challenge to celebrate their B’nei Mitzvahs.

This ambitious challenge involved conquering the two tallest peaks in the Lake District: Blencathra and Helvellyn, over two days. The climbs proved to be challenging, with Alice and Sophie facing wind, hail, rain and a total of 1,818 M of altitude. Yet, their unwavering perseverance saw them proudly complete the challenge with Sophie sharing her motivation for the challenge, saying, “Being only 12 myself, I wanted to support a charity that helps children. I remembered hearing about Spread a Smile at a talk we had at Brownies and how they bring joy and entertainment to seriously ill children – it immediately came to mind.

“There were moments when I thought it might be too much, but then I reminded myself of the children Spread a Smile supports. Thinking about what they go through every day helped me push through – because what I was facing was nothing compared to their challenges.”

Alice also added, “For my Bat Mitzvah, I wanted to do something to give back to children less fortunate than me. I knew about Spread a Smile as my Mum had donated to them through her work… and I love what they do to bring art, music and even therapy dogs to visit seriously ill children in hospital.

“The climb up Blencathra on the Friday was really hard as we were walking through rain, wind and hail and even with our waterproofs on we got soaked!”

We’re so grateful for Alice and Sophie’s incredible efforts. Together they raised an incredible £3,500 to support Spread a Smile’s vital work bringing joy and laughter to seriously ill children and their families. Their effort is a powerful example of how a challenge fundraiser can meaningfully commemorate a milestone whilst making a difference to others.

Feeling inspired? Why not hit your fitness goals by signing up to our Vitality 10k race on Sunday 28 September.
Join Team Smile here!

July Newsletter Spread a Smile 2025

July 2025 e-newsletter

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

Our much-anticipated annual Summer Party was a highlight, as we welcomed over 750 children, young people, and families for a day of fun and laughter. We couldn’t have done it without the support of hundreds of volunteers and partners who donated their time, stalls, gifts, food, and drink to make the party so special.

Dive into our July e-newsletter to read more about the Summer Party along with everything else we’ve been up to and what we have planned, including:

  • Launch of our Silent Auction to win two VIP Oasis tickets for Sunday 3 August;
  • Celebrating a new charity partnership with Cosmic to increase the number of Spread a Smile visits to St Mary’s Hospital;
  • World Play Day with the LEGO Group;
  • Meet Dottie and Kaiden for International Day of Friendship;
  • Welcoming our new Trustee, Sanjiv Patel;
  • Snap up a place in the Vitality 10,000 London and take inspiration from Herne Hill Run Club and the Saucony 10k;
  • A brilliant effort from Team Smile for the National Three Peaks Challenge;
  • How to secure one of the last remaining teams for our annual Golf Days in September.

Sign up below to receive our e-news directly into your inbox every month!
Sign up to our Newsletter

Win two VIP tickets to see Oasis at Wembley

 780 400 Susie
By:

Bid in our exclusive silent auction to win two premium hospitality tickets to see Oasis at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 3 August 2025.

This is your chance to enjoy Oasis’ sold out come back show in true VIP style with the prize including:

  • Two premium hospitality tickets, with access from the Pitch View Restaurant East
  • Access to a luxury buffet featuring gourmet selections
  • A wide choice of complimentary beers, wines, and soft drinks
  • Panoramic views of the iconic Stadium from the comfort of the lounge
  • Direct access to your reserved terrace seats just outside the lounge.

So what are you waiting for? The auction closes at 3pm on Friday 1 August and 100% of the monies raised will go to support our work spreading smiles to seriously ill children and young people.

Place your bid here!

Thank you to Rob Levene for donating this wonderful prize.
Terms and conditions apply. (Travel to and from the concert is not included).

Welcome to our new Trustee: Sanjiv Patel

 780 400 Susie
By:

We are delighted to welcome Sanjiv Patel, CEO of Westgate Healthcare to the Spread a Smile Board of Trustees.

Sanjiv has spent two decades working in the NHS, with a clinical background as a Consultant Anaesthetist at UCLH and has supported Spread a Smile for a number of years as part of our Medical Committee.

Sanjiv currently serves as a Trustee of both Spread a Smile and Noah’s Ark Hospice, bringing a unique blend of clinical insight and commercial acumen to the charitable sector. He said: “It’s an honour to join the Spread a Smile Board of Trustees and I hope to utilise my dual perspective to support Spread a Smile’s mission to enhance the experience and wellbeing of children undergoing serious medical treatment. I am a passionate advocate for integrating emotional and psychosocial support into healthcare delivery and I believe strongly in the vital role charities play in bridging gaps across the health and care system. I’m looking forward to bringing my experience to play as a Trustee to support this brilliant charity’s mission.”

Sanjiv has built a career that bridges medical practice with strategic leadership in the social care and health sectors, most recently with Westgate Healthcare, a growing care group delivering residential, nursing, dementia, and rehabilitation services across London and the home counties. Under his leadership, Westgate Healthcare has grown significantly, now operating ten care homes with over 600 beds and further developments underway. He has also spearheaded diversification into the hospitality sector, reflecting his interest in innovation, enhancing care environments, and sustainable growth.

Sanjiv was elected as one of the youngest board members of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, where he led impactful projects focused on improving training and education for junior doctors. He has also contributed to public health awareness as a medical advisor on Channel 4’s You Are What You Eat.

Meet the Spread a Smile Board of Trustees here.

Spreading smiles: International Day of Friendship

 780 400 Susie
By:

For International Friendship Day on 30 July, we’re celebrating the role Spread a Smile plays in supporting seriously ill children and their families to build friendships and enjoy wonderful days out together.

Mums, Louise and Kathryn shared how their children Dottie and Kaiden met and how Spread a Smile’s virtual sessions and events provide an opportunity for them to meet up and have fun.

“Dottie and Kaiden met through ‘Ravi’s Dream Team’, a choir formed for Britain’s Got Talent by 8-year old Ravi, who like Dottie and Kaiden has a brain tumour. When they met, Dottie and Kaiden just hit it off, understanding each other with their naughty brains! Us Mums did too and then the Dads met along with the rest of the siblings and things went from there. We were spending every weekend together for months for rehearsals and would chat on the phone nearly every day about life and the daily struggles we have with our brain tumour journeys.

“Dottie and Kaiden would chat on the phone too and organise to join Spread a Smile’s amazing weekly virtual sessions. As they knew different singers and magicians, they would always have something extra to talk about and would love catching up on the sessions, what they had planned and any exciting packs that the charity had sent out in advance for the sessions.

“We live few hours apart and when the Spread a Smile events come up, it’s a perfect excuse to all meet up together and have a brilliantly fun das out. Their events really do put a smile on our faces. Even going through what we’re going through, Spread a Smile helps us put that aside and forget all about it for a day. We’re able to just have fun and make unbelievable memories together as families. And that is so wonderful for all of us. Spread a Smile helps us to find time and space to just be ourselves and do things together like other families, and that means the world.”

Find out more about our work here.

Cosmic Partnership spreads smiles to St Mary’s

 780 400 Susie
By:

Spread a Smile is proud to partner with 39 NHS hospitals, including St Mary’s Hospital, in Paddington, with our entertainers making regular, monthly visits to young patients on the wards, bringing joy, laughter, magic and more.

From July 2025, we are delighted to partner with the charity, Cosmic, which supports children and babies in the intensive care units at St Mary’s, to expand the number of visits that Spread a Smile entertainers make to St Mary’s. The partnership will enable us to increase our visits to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) from monthly to fortnightly.

Laura Walter, Spread a Smile’s Director of Services said, “We enjoy a wonderful relationship with the team at St Mary’s Hospital, and our entertainers – from magicians, to fairies, singers, therapy dogs, poets and more – love visiting children on the wards. Thanks to Cosmic’s support, we’ll be able to regularly reach even more seriously ill children, making lasting connections and being a constant in hospital during what can be a very difficult time.

“Alongside the visits, we’ll be organising quarterly Pamper Days for parents and carers with children in the hospital, providing much needed opportunities for self-care, respite and calm in the busy hospital environment. We’re extremely grateful to Cosmic for helping us to bring even more Spread a Smile distraction and fun to the hospital environment.”

Cosmic Chief Executive, Susannah Forland, said: “We are proud to partner with Spread a Smile to bring moments of joy and relief to sick children and their families during the toughest of times. The talented entertainers really help to lift everyone’s mood during their bedside visits in PICU. Together we can reach more families and support them with compassion, care and a little magic when it’s needed most.”

A huge thank you to the team at Cosmic for their support and for helping to spread smiles.

Spread a Smile & Pan-n-Ice Instagram Giveaway

Instagram Giveaway: Spread a Smile & Pan-n-Ice

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

To celebrate National Ice Cream Day, we’ve teamed up with our friends at Pan-n-Ice to bring you a fabulous giveaway – your chance to win an ice cream masterclass for two!⁠

In this hands-on class, you’ll be guided by Pan-n-Ice’s expert ice cream rollers, who’ll take you on a journey through the history of Pan-n-Ice and the magic of making ice cream rolls. You’ll even take home your own ice cream creations and a certificate of completion!⁠

It’s quick, simple, and free to enter – just head over to our Instagram page and follow the instructions to enter. 

Good luck!
A huge thank you to our lovely friends at Pan-n-Ice for their support. 

Competition closes at 5pm on 4 August 2025. Winner chosen at random on 5 August and notified by direct message on Instagram.

T&Cs

The prize: a Pan-n-Ice Masterclass for 2x (valid until 31 Dec 2025). Prefer to DIY at home? You can swap for a Pan-n-Ice DIY Starter Kit!⁠ Competition closes at 5pm on 4 August 2025 and the winner will be chosen at random on Tuesday 5 August and notified by DM on Instagram. The prize is a Pan-n-Ice Masterclass, valid until 31 December 2025. Masterclass vouchers can be exchanged for a DIY Starter Kit if preferred. No cash alternative. Giveaway not affiliated with Instagram.

 

Spread a Smile entertainers smiling at summer party

Spread a Smile brings joy to hospital parties

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

This week, the Spread a Smile team has been busy spreading joy to young patients, their families, and hospital staff at the summer parties of The Christie’s Hospital in Manchester and Queen Elizabeth Hospital in London.

Our visit to Christie’s in Manchester was a wonderful day. Spread a Smile’s artist, Esther, was on hand to help patients craft their very own magic wands, which were then eagerly tested out during a magic show by our entertainer, Amy. It was lovely to see patients, their families, and hospital staff enjoying a range of fun activities together, including picking their favourite songs on the music system, enjoying a delicious buffet, slime making, glitter tattoos and more.

We were also delighted to support the annual Summer Party for young patients at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in London. The hospital’s Safari ward was transformed into a magical butterfly paradise, with Spread a Smile’s Leanne and Sarah bringing magic, sparkle and smiles. There was such a wonderful atmosphere, and it felt incredibly special to be able to celebrate with patients, families and staff in this special way.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital and The Christie Hospital are two of Spread a Smile’s 39 NHS partners across the country, and we were proud to be able to support the team and their patients in this way. Being part of these events is just one of the many ways we show our commitment to brightening the days of children in hospital, providing moments of joy, laughter, and distraction during challenging times.

Keep up to date with all things Spread a Smile by signing up to our monthly e-newsletter here.