News

On Friday 17^th November, Spread a Smile was featured on the BBC Children in Need Appeal Show in an incredibly moving film featuring Vanessa Moss and her family.

We first met Vanessa when she was four years old, not long after she started treatment for neuroblastoma at Great Ormond Street Hospital and shortly after the charity was first established. Vanessa was undergoing gruelling treatment at the time and was missing her two sisters, Ruby and Zoe. She loved the Spread a Smile visits as they helped her take her mind off her treatment.

As part of this year’s Children in Need Appeal Show, the BBC approached the Moss family, to make a film about how Spread a Smile entertained courageous young Vanessa and made a positive difference to her during her time in hospital.

The filming took place during the summer of 2017. Vanessa tragically passed away in September, but the Moss family courageously allowed her story to be aired.

During the film, we heard from Vanessa about the difference the Spread a Smile visits made to her. She said “Spread a Smile are just brilliant. They give me a little break from worrying about what’s going to happen. They make every child happier – ten million times happier.”

One of our entertainers, Collette is featured in the film with Vanessa singing On My Own from Les Miserables with Vanessa. Collette said “every single child is so precious in their own right and we want to make sure that when we go in there, they know how special they really are.”

Vanessa’s mum, Anna, summed up Spread a Smile’s work: “A child still wants to play, still wants to smile and still wants to spend their days laughing despite being very sick… Probably the most valuable type of help at that time in our life was when the extraordinary team from Spread a Smile came into the hospital and just made a difference at that moment and let my daughter be a child again. That for me as a mother is the most precious gift my daughter could have during a very very tough time.”

Vanessa’s dad, Parker, told us, “Spread a Smile’s entertainers were one of the only things that could raise a smile in our daughter during her chemotherapy. Their fairies are angels of kindness, and their magicians conjure away the pain with every visit. It’s hard to explain how slowly time passes on a children’s oncology ward, but Spread a Smile silenced the ticking of the clock, and remained at our daughter’s side to sprinkle a little fairy dust and make her feel for a few moments like the luckiest girl in the world.”

Parker spoke at our fundraising dinner in the summer and told our guests that what we do is create “more than just a smile… it’s about feeling lucky and being loved… it’s a really truly important thing that Spread a Smile do. They will be my daughter’s morphine for the next few months.”  

We continued to visit and entertain Vanessa during the four and a half years of her treatment for cancer, and built up a close and sustaining bond with the Moss family during what was an incredibly difficult time for them. As well as entertaining Vanessa in hospital, we invited her and her whole family to special days out to the theatre, to shows such as Disney’s The Lion King, and Vanessa’s favourite musical Les Miserables. These trips provided the chance for the whole family to experience a joyful occasion together, find a moment of respite and create lasting memories. We’re particularly aware how deeply affecting it is for siblings to experience the illness of their family members, and therefore know how important it is to include them in our work.

We were fortunate enough to be awarded a three-year grant from Children in Need in 2015, to help us entertain more children in hospitals and we are incredibly grateful to the entire team at Children in Need for their support and for helping us raise awareness of our work.

We would also like to thank the Moss family for sharing their stories with Children in Need. It has been a privilege for us to entertain Vanessa. She has been such an inspiration to the whole team at Spread a Smile.

On Friday 17^th November, tune in to the BBC Children in Need Appeal Show on BBC One from 7.30pm and you may see some familiar faces!

BBC Children in Need is supporting us with funding over a period of three years, enabling us to entertain more seriously ill children and teenagers in hospital.

In association with Children in Need, the adorable Pudsey Bear has joined us on two special occasions since their support began last year. Pudsey accompanied Television Presenter and BBC Children in Need Ambassador Fearne Cotton on a visit to UCLH to mark the beginning of Children in Need’s three-year grant to Spread a Smile. Fearne and Pudsey went round with our fabulous entertainers as they visited the paediatric and adolescent wards at UCLH, chatting with the kids and having photos. Pudsey also appeared at our ‘Glitter & Glow’ extravaganza in London last December – a special festive party that we held in London to entertain all the amazing children, teenagers and families that we visit in hospital. He was very popular at the event, taking ‘selfies’ with the guests and giving lots of cuddles.

During the London-region broadcast of the BBC Children in Need Appeal Show last year, the wonderful Balloqui family appeared with BBC London News Presenter Riz Lateef to talk about how Spread a Smile had made a difference to then five-year-old Chloe whilst being treated for Neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer, at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

We are very grateful for BBC Children in Need’s support and look forward to watching the exciting and moving Appeal show this Friday.

Honey & Co Cookery Demo

After demonstrating how each dish was prepared and giving those attending lots of insider cooking tips to wow their dinner party guests, everyone was able to sample the dishes. The unusual preparation of the chocolate mousse with its use of olive oil was particularly intriguing, but the big hit of the morning was the ‘madfunia’ or chicken tagine.

Anita Mahatme, mum to 13-year-old Varun, was at the event to speak about how Spread a Smile had made a difference to Varun’s time in hospital while being treated for cancer. Varun was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his spine, just before his 11th birthday. He underwent 7 months of chemotherapy at University College Hospital in London, then had two major operations at Great Ormond Street to remove the tumour and reconstruct his spine, followed by three months in America having proton radiotherapy. It was during his treatment at UCLH and GOSH that we met Varun.

Click here to see our photo gallery

Lawsons Charity Auction

Our corporate supporters Lawsons are hosting a Charity Fundraising Ball on Saturday 18^th November in aid of Spread a Smile. As part of the evening, they are holding an auction with some once-in-a-lifetime items, holidays and experiences up for grabs!

The auction has begun online and bidding will continue at the live event on Saturday. There are 46 lots to bid on and the list includes something to suit everyone’s taste. To take a look at the available lots click the link: https://lawsonscharityauction.com

Football aficionados will be interested in the various soccer-related goodies, including Tottenham and Chelsea Autographed footballs, Tottenham and England Autographed home shirts and even a stadium seat from Tottenham’s former home, White Hart Lane! Other sports fans will love the chance to visit Lord’s Cricket Ground, Henley Royal Regatta, to cycle at the Olympic Velodrome, or experience horse racing at Royal Ascot or Cheltenham National Hunt Festival.

If you’re ready for a holiday, there are several different lots that will whisk you away. If you fancy a short city-detox, there are get-aways to the Lake District and the South of France to restore you. Or the more adventurous can bid on a spectacular safari trip in South Africa or the chance to stay at a luxurious beachfront mansion in Bali.

Gastronomes will be tempted by the fantastic foodie experiences available. If you’re a fan of the Roux family, you’ll want to bid on a special private dining evening for 12 people at Albert and his son Michel Roux Jnr’s restaurant The Landau at the elegant Langham Hotel in central London. If you fancy yourself a bit of a chef but are keen to hone your skills, the Masterchef Masterclass or an afternoon at the Raymond Blanc Cookery School at famous Le Manoir might be more to your taste.

If you’re a thrill-seeker, you may want to bid on the chance to drive Supercars on a racing track or a Top Gun Air Combat experience at Goodwood. Those who prefer to relax can bid on a break at a Champneys Spa resort or a Vineyard Tour and Tasting with lunch or afternoon tea.

Culture vultures will have a chance to bid on a West End Theatre Trip or a visit to the Opera in Verona. And lovers of pop could be cheering on the latest X Factor stars at Wembley or being treated like a VIP at the BRITS Awards Ceremony.

To take a look at the full range of lots online, click on the link: https://lawsonscharityauction.com Please note, the online auction website will close at midday on Friday 17^th November. Bidding will resume at the live event on Saturday 18th November for event attendees only. Lawsons advise if you are not attending the event and would like to bid on a lot, then you may wish to use the ‘Maximum Bid’ feature in order to increase your chances of winning auction items.

We hope you enjoy taking a look at the auction lots on offer – you never know, you may be able to do some Christmas present shopping whilst supporting a good cause!

Thank you to Lawsons for their extremely generous support in organising the auction in aid of Spread a Smile. We hope their fundraising evening is a great success.

Byng Book Club Event

We were the guests of Byng Book Club on 6^th November at the Old Fold Manor Golf Club in Barnet as Spread a Smile has been chosen as the book club’s charity this year.

The event was a fascinating evening as Author and Historian Dr Helen Fry had been invited to talk about her book ‘The M Room: Secret Listeners who Bugged the Nazis’. The book recounts how British Intelligence agents bugged the conversations of Nazi Prisoners of War while they were incarcerated in makeshift prisons in English stately homes during the Second World War.

Dr Fry was a compelling speaker and kept the 50 audience members riveted throughout. After the talk, Spread a Smile co-founders Josephine Segal and Vanessa Crocker were asked to speak and screened a short film about the charity. Ticket proceeds from the night were donated to Spread a Smile, and a raffle was held during the evening with profits also going to the charity.

Thank you so much to the Byng Book Club for inviting us to be part of their special event and for their generous donations to Spread a Smile.

Spread a Smile Party

Sunday 5^th November saw the return of our annual party extravaganza for all the children, teenagers and families that we have entertained and supported whilst receiving treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital, University College Hospital, The Royal London Hospital and St Mary’s Hospital, and this year’s party was even bigger and better than before!

The party took place at the Marriott Hotel Regents Park in London, and over 350 guests were invited. The space was packed with fun, games and edible treats, with something for every age to love. Children were able to adopt and dress their very own Build-a-Bear cuddly toys, taking their newly-named furry friends home. Those who were feeling creative made their own beaded jewellery and designed colourful t-shirts. The adventurous and curious had their minds boggled by wacky Mad Science experiments with Helium Helen and Sonic Shane, and the slime was a particular crowd-pleaser!

Guests with an inclination to perform tried their hand at Carpool Karaoke: it was the full James Corden experience, as they sat in a special booth in front of a green screen, and could see themselves driving in a car whilst warbling the latest hits! There was a Virtual Reality experience, where the children and teenagers donned goggles and could play different games. A favourite game allowed the user to swim with dolphins, and one of the children whose dream it is to do just that exclaimed, ‘I can’t believe I got to swim with dolphins!’ There was a photobooth so the kids could take funny snaps with their families. And a Silent Disco got everyone boogying on the dancefloor in their headphones whilst dressed in fun accessories provided by Novelties Direct. Thanks to JH Video Booth and Happy Snappy Memories for all the wonderful technological wizardry.

Innovative ice cream company Pan’n’Ice were there to make ice cream before our very eyes! Self-proclaimed ‘icecreampreneurs’ Rob and Henry discovered a new way of making ice cream, by mixing up fresh ingredients on frozen plates, whilst on holiday in Thailand in 2015. They were so taken with the ingenuity of the process that on return to London, they were inspired to create Pan’n’Ice. Kids and adults alike were astonished by the delicious frozen treats that Rob made on Sunday. Andy Daniel who attended with his family said, ‘Such amazing ice creams from Pan’n’Ice! Thank you so much for spreading a smile for our family.’

But that wasn’t the end to the edible goodies. Everyone’s favourites, Lola’s Cupcakes, were there again so guests could decorate and take home scrumptious cakes. Heavenly Crepes provided yummy crepes and waffles. A Team Occasion sculpted candy floss treats. Nu Nosh kept our guests fortified with tasty sandwiches. Coca Cola provided water and Capri Sun to keep our thirst quenched. And our corporate supporters, timber and building merchants Lawsons, had built us our very own Sweet Shop so the kids (and quite a few adults!) could indulge in the pick’n’mix provided by Gobstoppers.

All our guests had the chance to feel glamorous with make-up artist Tamara Gitter on hand to make them over, and manicurists from Nails by Mets to make their nails sparkle with polish provided by Barry M Cosmetics. And, of course, our talented Spread a Smile face painters were on hand to transform the children into superheroes and fairies with their paints and glitter tattoos.

The party atmosphere wouldn’t have been complete without our wonderful Spread a Smile entertainers. Magicians Jamie Raven, Paul Megram, Martin Rees and Daniel Reed circulated doing close-up magic to astonish the guests. Fairy Natalie was there to sparkle a little fairy dust. Judge the Poet astonished with his word play. Talented artist Alessandra Tortone created a giant piece of wall art for the guests to add to. Cuddly Cassie and Oscar, our therapy dogs, were there to delight with cuddles and tricks. Singer Collette Spinner regaled the crowd with a special rendition of ‘Let It Go’ – still a firm favourite with the youngsters! The younger guests were also overjoyed to meet their TV hero Chase from Paw Patrol who, along with our special cuddly mascot Buddy Bear, was there for hugs and selfies thanks to Rainbow Productions. While the adults were charmed by the actor Christian Vit, who plays doctor Matteo Rossini on Holby City. Christian spent the whole party chatting with our guests and posing for photos. Thanks to Alex Taibel and her daughter for taking such wonderful pictures of the event.

After all the fun, guests went home with going home gifts and special presents from Mattel and Skinny Dip, as well as colourful balloon creations by modeller Bradley Bronson.

It really was a party to remember and we were so pleased to give all the inspiring children and their families a chance to have fun together and create some wonderful and uplifting memories at such a challenging time in their lives.

We have already had some lovely feedback from the families. Tara Hutton, mum to Milla and Lorcan, said, ‘Thank you so much for a wonderful day. [Lorcan] was totally star struck to meet his all-time hero [Chase from Paw Patrol], and both he and his big sister have gone to bed with their new teddies.’

Annette Stevens who came with her family said, ‘A great day; thank you so much to everyone involved. My two children had a ball and thought everything was amazing, including their first ever silent disco, and the Dad-and-daughter karaoke!’

Sally Green commented, ‘Thank you all for such a great party today. It is such a privilege to be invited. You are all amazing, kind, inspiring people! Lily had a ball; she has gone to bed with her Build-a-Bear teddy ‘Maisy’. A very happy little girl!’

Andrea Hanbury, who came with her four daughters Keeva, Sorcha, Roisin and Ailbhe and husband Tommy, said, ‘Such an amazing day! Thank you all so so much! The girls had a really fantastic time and had happy smiles on the way home!’

Debra Kaye said, ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you for an amazing day as always. Lots of love to each and every one of you and all the helpers for making today so special for the children. The girls absolutely had a blast. Claire loves being able to have fun and not worry about ‘being poorly’ or anything except having fun and enjoying herself with her sisters. You are all superstars!’

A special thank you to all the wonderful companies who helped us make the party truly spectacular, the hard-working volunteers for making it all run smoothly, our amazing Spread a Smile entertainers for spreading smiles, Lawsons for their incredibly generous support of the event, and Marriott Hotel for hosting us once again!

Stretching their Pins for Spread a Smile!

2017 has been a momentous year for Spread a Smile supporters Nikki and Richard Pins as the couple have both turned 50. To mark this special birthday year, they chose to undertake an epic challenge to raise money for the charity. They both love walking and thought a walking adventure was a great way to raise money for Spread a Smile.

As Londoners who wanted to get to know more of the less-explored parts of the city, they decided to attempt the Capital Ring Walk. The walk is a 78-mile route that circumnavigates London, passing through parks, woods and open spaces in 15 manageable sections.

Nikki and Richard decided to undertake the Herculean endeavour over a series of thirteen weekends during 2017 and invited their friends and family to join them. They completed two of the sections by themselves, but for the rest of the route they loved sharing the experience with their friends, and for one walk their group numbered as large as 16!

Nikki has known co-founder Josephine Segal since she was 7 years old and has followed the charity’s journey since its inception, inspired by Josephine’s very personal experience of seeing her own nephew isolated in hospital whilst being treated for cancer. Having witnessed how the charity has developed over the last four and a half years, and seeing the “amazing job” it does reaching 3,500 children and teenagers in four London hospitals each year, Nikki decided it was “an incredible cause” to support.

Nikki and Richard absolutely loved the walking challenge. There were amazed at all the hidden parts of London that they had not encountered before and how much green space linked up parts of the capital, particularly in the most unlikely places. They especially enjoyed discovering parts of South London that they didn’t know well at all. The route takes in the site of an ancient hill fort at Horsenden Hill, Harrow School and the Grand Union Canal in Ealing; the Gothic Abney Park Cemetery in Stoke Newington; the stylish Olympic Park in Stratford; visits Henry VIII’s childhood home, Eltham Palace in Greenwich; the Great North Wood which, despite its name, can be found in a series of ancient woodland fragments in south east London; joins the Wombles on Wimbledon Common; and magnificent Richmond Park, to name just a few of the special gems along the orbital route. Nikki said they were amazed to discover how many lovely green spaces could be found right next to the urban banalities of the capital; they even saw a heron perching right next to the North Circular!

The couple completed their last walk on Sunday 15^th October and loved the experience so much, they’re already planning their next walking escapade. They have raised an amazing £2,869 for Spread a Smile – thank you so much Nikki and Richard!

https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/pins50

We are seeking an experienced Trusts and Foundations Fundraiser to join our team in a part-time role, two or three days a week, based in our office in Camden.

The successful candidate will be organised and able to proactively set their own tasks and goals. They will be able to establish and build warm relationships with potential funders and able to successfully manage grants and the delivery of grant reports to the funder’s satisfaction and to their deadlines.  It would be useful but not essential to have experience of writing grant applications. The right person needs to be able to complete sometimes lengthy application forms with accurate information and well written, compelling descriptions of Spread a Smile’s work and will be able to read simple accounts and be able to produce accurate project budgets to include in funding applications.

Please click here to download the full job description.

Please send CVs to Josephine Segal – josephine@spreadasmile.org by Tuesday 7 November 2017.