News

Spread a smile Comedy Night 2025

Comedy Night Line-up Announced

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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We’re excited to reveal the incredible line-up for this year’s Spread a Smile Comedy Night, returning to The Comedy Store, London on Monday 17 November 2025.

Taking to the stage will be an outstanding roster of talent, including Tom Allen, Rhys James, and Harriet Kemsley, with more brilliant names to be announced soon. The night will once again be hosted and curated by our wonderful Ambassador, Suzi Ruffell, promising an unforgettable evening of laughter – all in support of Spread a Smile.

Now in its sixth year, the Comedy Night is a much-loved highlight in our events calendar and is proudly sponsored by Texel Foundation and Enra.

Tickets are on sale now and all proceeds will help us spread even more smiles to seriously ill children and young people in hospital.

In November 2024 Suzi was joined by the amazing Tom Allen, Nish Kumar, Chantel Nash, Jack Skipper and Ania Magliano for a fantastic evening of laughs, smiles and also magic, thanks to a special appearance from former BGT winner, the military mind reader Richard Jones. So far over £100,000 has been raised through this brilliant event, helping to fund our work spreading smiles in 39 NHS hospitals and 6 hospices across the country.

Buy your tickets here

Event: Spread a Smile Comedy Night
Date: Monday 17 November 2025
Venue: The Comedy Store, 1a Oxendon St, London SW1Y 4EE
Ticket price: £30

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world smile day spread a smile

Spreading Smiles for World Smile Day

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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As part of our World Smile Day fundraising and awareness initiative, last week was full of so much joy and laughter as we reached our target of spreading over 800 smiles in just one week to seriously ill children, their families, and the healthcare professionals who care for them.

Our entertainers carried out an amazing 21 visits to 14 NHS hospitals, including visits to St George’s Hospital, Tooting, The Christie in Manchester and the Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) at King’s College Hospital.

We organised a bespoke visit for teenage patients at University College Hospital London (UCLH), a pamper day for parents and carers at Evelina Children’s Hospital, a brilliant cupcake decorating session for young patients at St Mary’s Hospital thanks to the amazing Lola’s Cupcakes and were delighted to welcome Pan-n-Ice on our visit to UCLH to deliver some of their delicious ice-cream rolls. Our thanks go to both Lola’s Cupcakes and Pan-n-Ice for their support and also to our wonderful friends from the LEGO Group who joined us at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) to provide opportunities for creative play and fun using the iconic LEGO® bricks.

We ended the week with our largest ever visit to GOSH, visiting all inpatients and outpatient wards, and spreading so much fun, magic and laughter to everyone we met.

World Smile Day is a chance for the world to take time to smile and feel the benefits that a smile can bring. Our supporters and friends shared their smiles with us on social media, helping to spread even more smiles around the world and we are so grateful to everyone who helped spread the word and supported our activities across our socials networks.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported World Smile Day 2025 – our incredible partners and all those who donated to ensure we can continue to spread even more smiles in the months to come.

We’re incredibly proud to have celebrated our biggest World Smile Day to date and are looking forward to next year and how we can make this initiative even bigger and better. If you or your company would like to partner with us to help make this happen, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch with Lucy Chesney, our Head of Partnerships at lucychesney@spreadasmile.org to find out more.

Although World Smile Day has passed, we’ll keep spreading smiles throughout the year and it’s not too late to set up a regular gift to help us deliver our upcoming seasonal activities including our Christmas Smile Hampers, hospital treat drops and our Winter Party.

Thank you so much to everyone who helped us spread a smile for World Smile Day 2025!

Golf Days at Woburn Golf Club success

 780 400 Susie
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Last week, we hosted our hugely successful annual Golf Days, at the prestigious Woburn Golf Club.

Sponsored by Canary Wharf Contractors Fund and held over two days, the event welcomed 43 teams for two fantastic days of golf on the beautiful Duke’s Course, ranked in Golf Monthly Magazines top 100 courses in the UK.

With the sun shining on both days, our golfers enjoyed playing the 18-holes – accompanied by entertainment around the course from Spread a Smile musicians and magicians and snacks and drinks delivered by the team – before returning to the club house for a delicious meal followed by prize giving, a raffle and auction.

Spread a Smile’s Chief Executive, Lucy Jackson, spoke to guests about the charity’s work bringing joy to seriously ill children and their families, highlighting how our guests were enabling us to spread even more smiles when they are needed most.

The Spread a Smile Golf Days are a highlight in our events calendar, welcoming companies and individuals to a fun day out. It was fantastic to welcome so many friends old and new, including former England Rugby Union Captain, Dylan Hartley. Thanks to our guests’ generous support, over £87,000 was raised across the events – an incredible amount which will help ensure we can spread many more smiles when they are needed most.

Congratulations to the winning teams – Constellia (Thursday) and Edward Hikmet, Daniel Barlow, Justin Smith and Paul Futcher (Friday). Plus everyone who took home individual prizes.

Thank you to Canary Wharf Contractors Fund for generously sponsoring the event. Also to all of our teams, our volunteers from Blackrock and our event sponsors: Opticore IT, MP Moran, Redstor, Ask Partners, GRE Finance, and Newmark.

Don’t miss out on our next event! Why not join us for our Comedy Night on Monday 17 November at The Comedy Store, London or our entertainer Variety Show at The Camden Club on Thursday 23 October?

Spread a smile entertainer variety show

Entertainer Variety Show on 23 October

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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Spread a Smile is delighted to announce its second annual Entertainer Variety Show – a very special fundraising event where will showcase the talents of the charity’s amazing entertainers, providing guests with the opportunity to experience first-hand the magic and joy they bring to young patients and their families.

Get your tickets here.

Entertainer Variety Show
Date: Thursday 23 October 2025, 7.30pm
Venue: The Camden Club, 72-73 Chalk Farm Rd, Chalk Farm, London NW1 8AN
Ticket price: £25
Drinks and food available to buy at the venue.

Spread a Smile entertainer and Visit Manager, Sar (also known as Sar with the guitar), has been working closely with the charity’s fundraising team to curate the event saying, “After the incredible success of our first Entertainer Variety Show last year, we’re back – and this time at the cool Camden Club, NW1. Our amazing entertainers are absolutely buzzing to perform again, and I couldn’t be prouder of my friends who are generously giving up their time this evening to help raise funds for the incredible charity, Spread a Smile.

For the past 12 years I’ve had the privilege of being a Spread a Smile entertainer, meeting so many inspiring children and families, as well as collaborating with a truly special group of performers. These experiences have inspired me to create this event where families and friends can experience the magic of Spread a Smile live on stage. The evening will feature a mix of music, magic, and more – with the goal of raising funds and awareness. I hope as many people as possible will join us for what promises to be a very special night.”

All proceeds from the show will go towards raising vital funds for Spread a Smile’s work spreading smiles to the families we support.

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Enewsletter spread a smile

September 2025 e-newsletter

 600 290 Gabrielle Devine
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Our September e-newsletter is here!  

We’ve had another incredible month, packed with family events, amazing fundraising efforts, and so many smiles.  

We had the pleasure of welcoming some of the families we support to wonderful theatre trips, including 101 Dalmatians and The Lion King, complete with a pre-theatre party including magic, face painting, music and delicious treats.  

We also hosted a special evening to celebrate the incredible NHS healthcare professionals we work with. We were delighted to give these professionals a chance to be on the receiving end of some magic, a way for us to show our heartfelt appreciation for all they do.  

We were pleased to speak at the inaugural BizzFest as their official charity partner, and we also had partners hosting amazing events such as the Insurance Dinner and the Compass Carter TB100.  

We also announced some exciting events: Entertainer Variety Show on 23 October, and our Comedy Night hosted by Suzi Ruffell on 17 November.  

Last but no means least, we shared the news that after many years of dedicated service as Trustee and Co-Founder, our much-loved Josephine Segal, has decided that the time is right to step back from her role on the Board and her day-to-day involvement with Spread a Smile.

Find out more in our September e-news here.  

Sign up to our e-news here to get our e-newsletter delivered straight to your inbox every month.  

Honouring our Co-Founder, Josephine Segal

 780 400 Susie
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Our Co-Founder and Trustee, Josephine Segal, has decided to step back from her role on the Board of Spread a Smile and from her regular day-to-day involvement in the charity. While this has been a difficult decision for Josephine, it is one that comes with confidence in the strength of Spread a Smile today and optimism for its future.

Spread a Smile was founded out of Josephine’s deeply personal response to her nephew Aaron’s illness. Together with Co-Founder Vanessa Crocker, she transformed that experience into something remarkable – a charity that now brings laughter, joy and comfort to thousands of seriously ill children and their families each year. The values Josephine and Vanessa set from the very beginning – compassion, professionalism, respect, empathy and warmth – remain at the heart of everything we do.

Josephine herself reflects: “What began as a deeply personal response to my nephew Aaron’s illness has grown into something truly remarkable. Spread a Smile will forever be in my heart and I look forward to following its journey with pride. As I step away after 13 years, I want to thank my darling nephew Aaron, his brothers and family who inspired Spread a Smile, my Co-Founder Vanessa, family, friends, Trustees, team, entertainers, volunteers, supporters, hospital partners and most importantly the children and families who welcomed us into their lives during such difficult times.”

From 30 September, Josephine will take on the honorary role of Lifetime President of Spread a Smile, a title that celebrates her extraordinary contribution and ensures she will always remain part of our story. Although she will no longer hold formal responsibility as a Trustee, Josephine will continue to be a cherished presence, following our journey with pride and love.

Vanessa will remain closely involved as Co-Founder and Trustee, continuing to bring her passion and vision. Josephine’s husband, Richard Segal, will also continue as a valued Trustee, helping guide the charity forward.

We are incredibly grateful for all that Josephine has given – her love, her heart and her vision. Spread a Smile simply would not be what it is today without her. Though we will miss her daily presence, we step forward with optimism, inspired by the legacy she leaves and the bright future ahead.

Donate a prize for our Christmas Auction

 780 400 Susie
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This Christmas, we’re aiming to spread as many smiles as possible to seriously ill children and their siblings and to do that, we need your help.

In November we’ll be launching our exclusive Silent Auction and Raffle and we’re looking for prize donations, from gift hampers, to restaurant vouchers, memorabilia, jewellery, event tickets and more.

Every prize, no matter the size will help us spread joy and laughter this festive season, through our Smile Hampers, packed full of gifts and sent directly to the children we support, to entertainer hospital visits, treat drops and so much more.

If you or your company are able to donate a prize, we’d love to hear from you. Please email Tasha Mann at tashamann@spreadasmile.org to get the ball rolling.

Thank you.

Inaugural Insurance Dinner spreads smiles

 780 400 Susie
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Last week, we held our inaugural Spread a Smile Insurance dinner, bringing together leading professionals from across the insurance sector for an enjoyable and engaging evening of networking.

Held at the beautiful Ham Yard Hotel in Soho, London, guests enjoyed time to catch-up over drinks and canapes before sitting down for a delicious meal together.

The evening was an opportunity to share more about the work of Spread a Smile, with our Chief Executive, Lucy Jackson, speaking about the work of the charity and the important and unique role our corporate supporters play in helping to spread smiles to seriously ill children and their families.

Spread a Smile entertainer and magician, Sacha, was also on hand to showcase our work, sharing magic with guests and an insight into how our entertainers bring joy to all those they meet.

Lucy Jackson, Chief Executive at Spread a Smile, said “We are extremely grateful to everyone who joined us for our first Insurance Dinner and generously supported our work on the night. Particular thanks go to Richard Reggel and Phil Smaje for all their hard work making this wonderful event possible and enabling us to meet and connect with so many new people.”

The Insurance Committee was launched in September 2025 to explore new avenues for raising funds and awareness. To find out more about the Committee or how your company could get involved with supporting Spread a Smile, please get in touch with our Head of Partnerships, Lucy Chesney at lucychesney@spreadasmile.org.

Making connections at BizzFest 2025

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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We recently had the pleasure of being selected as a charity partner for the inaugural BizzFest – a dynamic new networking event designed to inspire, connect, and propel business growth. It was an incredible day, bringing together young founders and teams for a daytime conference followed by an evening festival.

Our Partnerships Manager, Rosie Perkins, spoke to attendees and guests about Spread a Smile and the charity’s work and inspiring opportunities to develop bespoke and mutually beneficial partnerships. Rosie was also joined by one of our brilliant magicians, who offered a glimpse of the joy and fun the charity brings to the young patients in hospital.

Partnering with Spread a Smile is a fantastic way for businesses to achieve their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) objectives. These partnerships not only give back to the community but also help to inspire teams and boost morale. At Spread a Smile, we offer various packages for companies to get involved, from fundraising and event opportunities to bespoke volunteering days, such as helping to pack 2,000 Smile Hampers to be sent to seriously ill children and their siblings in time for Christmas.

At Spread a Smile, we rely completely on the support of generous companies, trusts and individuals to continue our work spreading smiles across the country when they are needed most. We are extremely grateful to everyone at BizzFest for giving us the opportunity to share our work and raise much needed awareness amongst such an ambitious and inspiring group of people.

If you are interested in exploring ways your company can work with Spread a Smile, please reach out to Lucy Chesney, our Head of Partnerships, at lucychesney@spreadasmile.org.

The Lion King Spread a Smile Theatre Trip 2025

A Day of Pride at The Lion King

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

The team at Spread a Smile recently had the pleasure of welcoming 15 young patients and their families to watch The Lion King at London’s Lyceum Theatre as part of our family events programme. It was an incredible day out for the families who joined us, offering them a chance to enjoy a fun day out away from the day-to-day worries an stress that often accompany serious illness.

Our guests were treated to a special pre-show party in the Ambassadors Lounge with pizza, Lola’s cupcakes, snacks and of course entertainment from Spread a Smile’s talented entertainers including magic, fairies, guitarist, face painting and arts and crafts – plus a Lion King themed quiz! As always, the room was filled with so much happiness and it really set the scene before our families headed in to the theatre to watch the show.

The families then headed into the theatre to enjoy the show. They got ice creams in the interval and then a special treat after the show with a brilliant meet and greet with Simba, Nala and Scar from the cast! Seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces was a perfect end to the day.

The magic of our family events is best captured by the families who attend them, and Caroline, a mother who joined us for the day with her children, shared this message:  “I just wanted to say a huge ‘Thank you’ to everybody at Spread a Smile for the day out at The Lion King. We were all definitely smiling at the end of the day and the whole family had a great time.  We really appreciated the team and being made to feel so special. Thank you! “

Every year, Spread a Smile organises a calendar of family focused events which aim to support young patients, their parents, carers and siblings and bring moments of respite, joyful experiences and enduring memories at the most challenging of times. We are so grateful to everyone at the Lyceum Theatre and the cast of The Lion King for their wonderful support and helping to make the day so special. Also, to Lola’s Cupcakes for providing such delicious treats.

We couldn’t continue to provide these events without the support and generosity of our donors, fundraisers and corporate partners. To find out more about how you can get involved and support our vital work, please take a look here . Thank you.