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An amazing team of cyclists from RBS Cash Operations based in Maidstone and led by Simon Foster, cycled 200 miles across Kent to raise money for Spread a Smile over a week at the end of June.

Simon and his colleagues, Jon Barnes, Scott Howie, Mario Fenech and Simon Cawse, chose to support us as Simon’s 12-year-old daughter, Amy Foster, has been visited by our entertainers during her treatment for Osteosarcoma at UCLH this year.

Amy developed a severe pain in her knee earlier in 2017, and was diagnosed as having a cancerous tumour in her femur. She is receiving chemotherapy at UCLH as well as having an operation to remove part of her femur, which will be replaced by a bionic prothesis.

When her dad asked Amy which charity his cycling team should support with their epic challenge she nominated Spread a Smile. She says, “I love Spread a Smile visits as I like being active and hospital treatment is sooooo boring! I love the fairies as they are just fun and they smile so much. It really cheers me up. The magician, though, is my favourite as I couldn’t work out how he did his tricks!”

Sarah Quigley from RBS wrote on their JustGiving page: “Hospitals are scary places at the best of times and whilst Amy has been visiting the hospital this fantastic charity have been there to take her mind off things as much as possible. Simon has seen first-hand the incredible work that this charity does in bringing a smile to a sick child’s face through the toughest of times.”

Thank you so much to Simon, Jon, Scott, Mario and Simon for their fabulous team effort which has raised an astonishing £2,866, more than five times their target! And a big thank you also to Amy for nominating us!

There’s still time to donate – https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/maidstone-goes-the-extra-mile.

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Spread a Smile joined our corporate supporters Lawsons at their Family Fun Day at the South of England Showground in Ardingly, West Sussex on 16th July.

The day was a grand day out, with over a thousand Lawsons employees and their families enjoying a funfair, pony trekking, music, food and a pamper area. Spread a Smile singer Collette Spinner compered the event, introducing bands onto the stage, as well as wowing the audience with some numbers of her own. Our face painters Marina Constantinou and Emma Antoniou decorated hundreds of faces over the course of the day, transforming the children into superheroes and animals, and even beautifying a few of the adults! Spread a Smile balloon modellers Bradley and Diana Bronson made over a thousand weird and wonderful inflated creations for the guests. And our very own Magic Martin Rees spent the day amazing the crowd with close-up magic.

Lawsons, the timber, building and fencing suppliers, have been invaluable supporters to Spread a Smile, helping to fund two of our Winter Wonderland Parties, the creation of our mascot Buddy, as well as innumerable hospital visits and special events for the children and their families throughout the last two years. Paul Sexton, Managing Director of Lawsons, wanted to support the charity after seeing us in action: “The slowest clock on the planet is a hospital clock. The biggest thing you can do for anybody that is ill is make them smile and create distractions which help control pain. These guys do it in spades. I have to say I have never ever witnessed something as special as the Spread a Smile team. They are truly, truly amazing at what they do.”

Lawsons held a raffle on the day, with proceeds going to Spread a Smile.

A huge thank you to Lawsons for their ongoing support for Spread a Smile; they really have helped us brighten so many days for the children and teenagers we visit in hospital.

Debbie Holmes, a 13-year-old from East Malling in Kent, took part in the Pretty Muddy 5km race in Maidstone to raise money for Spread a Smile on Sunday 9th July.

Intrepid Debbie chose to undertake the challenge with a big group of her family and friends after experiencing Spread a Smile’s magic first-hand. We first met Debbie soon after she was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer, in April 2014 while she was receiving radiotherapy treatment at UCLH. We visited her with magicians, singers and our cuddly therapy dogs. We have also invited her to several special events outside of hospital: she has seen Disney’s The Lion King, a Diversity dance show and Take That in concert, as well as attending our annual festive party with her family and friends. She loved our visits so much she decided to raise money for Spread a Smile so we could visit more children and teenagers like her.

The 5 kilometre Pretty Muddy race involved a series of obstacles and a whole lot of mud! Debbie and her teammates scrambled over an A-frame, crawled through a mud pit, slithered through muddy tunnels and slid into a pool of mud. The race was a particular challenge for Debbie as she has an internal prothesis in her leg as part of her cancer treatment. Her mum, Cheryl, said she was amazed how Debbie managed to complete the entire course unaided. Debbie was tired by the end of the race but her team of fellow runners and cheerleaders got her through. The group included: Debbie Holmes, Ashleigh Holmes, Rachel Holmes, Katie Middleton, Christie Middleton, Sandra Ayoub, Mariam Ayoub, Ellie Conran, Jodie Conran, Millie Conran, Hannah Wheat, Gemma Wheat, Sophie Wheat, Holly Owen, Karen Owen, Gemma Crome, Claire Crome, Rachel Crome, Lucy Chapman, Chris Chapman, Angela Ward, Ilenia Ward, Alice Velvick, Cheryl Velvick, and even Debbie’s teacher Kathy Barry. They had a lot of fun on the day and got thoroughly muddy! The smiles in the pictures said it all.

We are so grateful to Debbie that she took the Pretty Muddy challenge for us. So far her team ‘Mud-erific Madness 2’ has raised an amazing £1,481 – almost three times their target!

Thank you to Immanuel College, Bushey, who raised money for Spread a Smile as one of their three nominated charities this academic year. The school has been working hard to raise money with the pupils masterminding a variety of different fundraising events, from a fancy dress day and a sponsored walk, to a Chanukah fair and Friday tuck sales.

The college presented all the charities – Spread a Smile, Beit Halochem and The Boys’ Clubhouse – each with a cheque for £3000, at an assembly in April. Thank you so much to the school and its pupils for all their generosity and hard work; and a big thank you to 14-year- old Immanuel pupil Lily Lisberg for nominating us to her school.

Our Summer Party was a night filled with entertainment and laughter, but also some very moving stories from the special children and teenagers we visit in hospital and their families.

Varun, a 13-year-old that we visited at UCLH and GOSH, kicked off proceedings by telling us about his battle with cancer and how Spread a Smile made a difference to his time in hospital by entertaining him and taking him out on special trips to the theatre, an acting workshop and a concert. He said he found his time in hospital “very isolating”: “You feel alone and bored… wishing you had something to take your mind off your illness. Thank goodness for the Spread a Smile team who were there to help me through times like these. Without Spread a Smile my journey would have been a lot more difficult to endure.”

Co-founder Josephine Segal explained why she and Vanessa Crocker started the charity in 2013 after seeing the positive impact a magician’s visit had on her then 9-year-old nephew, Aaron, when he was treated for cancer in Great Ormond Street Hospital. She went on to describe the charity’s journey over the last four years, from small beginnings visiting GOSH once a month, to now entertaining over 3,500 children a year in four London hospitals on 12 visits every month. She introduced the now 14-year-old Aaron, the inspiration for Spread a Smile, who had us rocking in our seats as he performed the Bill Withers’ hit Lovely Day with his school friends and bandmates Alon and Lior.

Other entertainment came in the form of the internationally-acclaimed opera singer Deborah Myers who sang Somewhere from West Side Story. Britain’s Got Talent Magician Jamie Raven explained how honoured he felt on being asked to become Spread a Smile’s Patron. He then treated us to a special magic show, delivered with his distinctive flair and comic timing. Spread a Smile magicians kept us entertained throughout the evening, giving us a taste of the magic (literal and metaphorical) that they create for the courageous children and teenagers we visit in hospital. Magicians Ian Manly, Paul Megram, Daniel Reed and Martin Rees performed close-up magic, Judge wowed us with his spontaneous poems and singer Collette Spinner delighted us with several numbers during the reception.

Paul Sexton, Managing Director of Lawsons, spoke of how he had observed Spread a Smile’s effect first-hand and how that had led the firm to support Spread a Smile. He appealed to all our guests to dig deep so we can continue sprinkling that magic in hospitals: “The slowest clock on the planet is a hospital clock. The biggest thing you can do for anybody that is ill is make them smile and create distractions which help control pain. These guys do it in spades. I have to say I have never ever witnessed something as special as the Spread a Smile team. They are truly truly amazing at what they do.”

Spread a Smile Co-founder Vanessa Crocker followed by talking about our vision for the future of the charity. She spoke of how Spread a Smile’s “work is in demand and we have now been asked by each of the hospitals [we visit] to increase the frequency of our visits… and even start working in a fifth paediatric hospital from early 2018.” She appealed to our guests to give generously and help us realise our dream of helping more children and teenagers over the coming months and years.

Vanessa then introduced Parker Moss, father to 9-year-old Vanessa who suffers from neuroblastoma, a rare type of cancer that forms in the nerve tissue and mainly affects babies and young children. Parker spoke movingly of Vanessa’s long illness and how Spread a Smile entertainers have made a huge difference to his daughter during her treatment at GOSH and UCLH, making her feel at those times, despite her illness, “like the luckiest girl in the world”. He said, “It’s 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”.

The night was rounded off by a film that followed members of the Spread a Smile team on hospital visits, demonstrating the charity’s transformational work and hearing testimony from the children and teenagers, their parents and the NHS staff we work with. By the end of the video there was barely a dry eye in the room.

Thanks to Varun Mahatme, Aaron Maurice, Alon Issler, Lior Solomons-Wise, Parker Moss and Paul Sexton for taking part; and to Food Story, Just Seventy, Light Fantastic, Deborah Myers, Jamie Raven, The London Marriott Regents Park, and all our amazing entertainers and volunteers for their hard work making the evening a great success.

On Tuesday 11th April we celebrated our 4th Birthday. Our huggable mascot Buddy Bear popped in to see us and even brought us a delicious cake.

Four years ago today our co-founders Josephine Segal and Vanessa Crocker took a team of entertainers into Great Ormond Street Hospital for our very first visit. We visited four wards; haematology and oncology, the cardiac unit and a ward which treats children with renal- related conditions. The entertainers on that first visit included Spread a Smile regulars Fairy Felicity and Adam Ant.

Fairy Felicity said: “It’s been amazing watching the charity grow and develop from such humble beginnings, initially visiting only four GOSH wards once a month in the early days, and now entertaining in four hospitals several times a month with such a great team of talented performers.

“It’s been an absolute privilege visiting the kids over the last four years. Every visit gives me pause for thought, as we meet some very brave children in distressing circumstances. However, knowing that we have gone some way to alleviate their distress that day gives me a real sense of fulfilment. To make a child laugh, to help them forget for a moment that they are in a hospital or in pain, is a real joy.”

During the last four years, Vanessa and Josephine have led the growth of the charity, ensuring that we have always been able to serve our current partner hospitals to the best of our abilities before expanding into new ones. In this way, the hospitals know we are always there to help and the children have learnt to look forward to our visits as a highlight to their week. Over the years, we have formed some close bonds with the children and their families, supporting them through their difficult journeys.

Natasha Luck, Play Specialist at The Royal London Hospital, said: “I have absolutely loved every minute of working with Spread a Smile and all of their entertainers. The difference they make for both the patients and their families is incredible. The generosity they have shown The Royal London Hospital is overwhelming: I know I never have to hesitate to ask them if I need any help or support.”

Since April 2013, we have expanded our visits in GOSH, now visiting nine wards twice a month, as well as visits to University College Hospital, The Royal London Hospital, and since the start of this year, St Mary’s, Paddington. Vanessa and Josephine’s tireless commitment to the children and teenagers we visit has gained recognition from Number 10. In December 2016, Prime Minister Theresa May honoured them with a Points of Light Award, which recognises outstanding individual volunteers, people who are making a change in their community and inspiring others.

On the charity’s fourth anniversary, Vanessa said: “It’s incredible to see how Spread a Smile has grown. We are so lucky that with the help of our generous donors and supporters we are now able to visit over 3,000 children and teenagers a year. With continued support, we are looking to expand to make more monthly visits and add new hospitals to our list, so we can reach even more children and teenagers. Thank you to our wonderful supporters who make it all possible and have helped us reach our fourth birthday!”

In 2016 we launched a competition in partnership with children’s newspaper, First News, to design a new mascot to take into hospitals. The winning design, Buddy, was created by 11-year-old Caris Baughan from Warwickshire.

After many months of painstaking planning and development, the expert team at Rainbow Productions, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of mascots, who have created costumes for well-known characters such as Peppa Pig and Pingu, crafted Caris’ design into a huggable reality!

Buddy Bear, who proudly made a debut at our Glitter & Glow party in December 2016, has been a big hit with the children we meet in hospital.

We are very grateful to Lawsons who generously donated the money to have Buddy created.

We work in six London hospitals: Great Ormond Street, University College Hospital, the Royal London, the Evalina, St Mary’s and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore. We have established strong working relationships with our hospital partners so we can keep sending in our teams of entertainers regularly.

“Spread a Smile have been sending entertainers into GOSH for four years and they are one of the more consistent and quality-driven charities we regularly rely on. The team have built an incredible reputation for themselves in a relatively short space of time. The way they operate is an exemplar to other voluntary organisations we work with. They are professional and reliable and an important part of the Volunteer Services team at GOSH. I would arrange a Spread a Smile visit for every day of the week if I could and we are currently looking into how we can expand their work into even more wards at GOSH.”
Jamie Wilcox, Head of Volunteer Services, GOSH

“Spread a Smile has made a huge difference to the experience of paediatric and adolescent patients at University College Hospital. The entertainers are talented and clearly believe in what they are doing. Not only do they put the patients and families at ease, they engage with the children and young people in a fun, exciting way that is appropriate to their age and developmental level. They really make each individual child and young person feel special. When Spread a Smile are with us, the children are visibly more relaxed and comfortable in the hospital environment.”
Laura Walter, Senior Radiotherapy Play Specialist, UCLH

“It is sometimes difficult for us to get the children to accept the procedure they need; with Spread a Smile’s help and support the children increasingly become more compliant, which helps me and my colleagues tremendously. They don’t even notice they’ve had their procedure or injection as they’re so interested in Spread a Smile’s activity!”
Natasha Luck, Play Specialist, The Royal London Hospital

“Spread a Smile is a very special charity. They value and appreciate the clinical work that is undertaken and work collaboratively with the ward and hospital staff, this strengthens their success. The team are professional and work closely with us to ensure all members of the team have good knowledge to work in such specialised clinical environments. I have seen children amazed at the magician doing a card trick, children excitedly waiting for a visit from the magical fairy or having their face painted and the nurses speechless from their hard work described in a poem. Spread a Smile is able to put a smile on a child’s face or make them laugh in the most difficult of situations.”
Eleanor Tyrrell, Matron, GOSH

“It is wonderful to have Spread a Smile’s entertainers in the St Mary’s paediatric departments, because they do exactly what the name implies – they take the patients’ minds off why they are there, helping to relax them and to entertain them at exactly the right time. The entertainers bring joy and amusement to our patients from the very youngest to the adolescents. The families also benefit from seeing their children having a moment of pleasure away from their condition and their treatment. Cassie the pet therapy dog has done wonders with the children including those who were previously a little ‘dog-phobic’, and the fairies, magicians, singers and storytellers pitch their work perfectly for each child. It is a pleasure to work with such a well-organised and enthusiastic charity.”
IAN LUSH – Chief Executive of the Imperial College Healthcare Charity

If you would like to speak to a member of our team about Spread a Smile visiting your hospital, please contact Vanessa on 020 7482 5191 or vanessa@spreadasmile.org.

Our entertainers form the heart of Spread a Smile. We are very lucky to have an incredible team of entertainers, who have come to us based on personal recommendations and have had extensive professional experience in the entertainment industry. We have a range of magicians, fairies, singers, face painters and a spontaneous poet to ensure that every age group from newborns to eighteen-year-olds and every taste can be catered for.

Our entertainers tell us that joining Spread a Smile has been a life-changing experience. Many of them have been with us since the charity was established.

Here’s what some of them had to say about working with Spread a Smile:

“I have been so fortunate to have travelled the world, to do and see things that I would never have dreamed of growing up. I have met Royalty, stood on stage in front of sell-out theatres in the West End, and performed live on television in front of 15 million people. But I promise you, all of it means absolutely nothing, when compared to the smile on the face of a child, or a glint in their eye, when you can take them away from everything, even just for a few seconds, into a pain-free world of make believe where absolutely anything is possible. Of everything I have been lucky enough to achieve in my professional life, working with, and subsequently being asked to become a patron for Spread a Smile is at the very top of the list.” Jamie

“I love working with Spread a Smile because the organisation is brilliantly run, well organised and totally focused on their goal to provide moments of joy and happiness for kids and teenagers in hospitals. I am privileged to work with a talented team of entertainers where ego is always left at the door and as a team we try our best to make as many people happy as we can within the limited time we have to do it. Whilst we cannot ease pain or fix their condition, we can, for a few minutes at least, allow them to forget why they are in hospital and give them a chance to react and behave like any other child. We give them a chance to enjoy the feelings of fun and laughter the other kids take for granted. Our visits are a highlight of the children’s day and sometimes they really look forward to our visits. Giving a child a sense of excitement and hope is a great way to help them mentally if not physically. Spread a Smile has become a very important charity to be aligned with. It is an honour and privilege to represent them.” Nick

“Working for Spread a Smile is without question one of the most rewarding things I do. Each child I meet in hospital is a star. They have such a positive outlook on life and although it is me who dresses like a superhero; they are my heroes. Seeing them laugh and smile and forget their surroundings for just a small amount of time is the greatest gift I can give.” Dov

“To make a child laugh, to help them forget for a moment that they are in a hospital or in pain, is a real joy. One father told me the doctors were able to reduce his daughter’s morphine drip after I had visited – such a humbling thing to hear, and a sign of how important Spread a Smile’s work is.” Felicity