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The lovely Claudia Winkleman spread smiles with us at Great Ormond Street Hospital last month while Alesha Dixon surprised patients and staff at University College Hospital.

Visits from well-known celebrities bring smiles to our young patients, brighten their day, help distract from their treatment and give them serious bragging rights with their friends.

Miles for smiles

We have two incredible challenges for you this year.

ArcelorMittal Orbit Abseil

Join Team Spread a Smile on the morning of Sunday 16 June 2019 for the UK’s highest freefall abseil experience from the ArcelorMittal Orbit, the UK’s tallest sculpture, located in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London. Descend the 262 feet while taking in breath-taking views of London and raising funds for us at the same time.

You will travel in the lift to the very top of the structure to get a hawk’s eye view of the park below and to look out over the rest of London. From here you’ll be able to pick out The Shard, BT Tower, The Gherkin, Big Ben, Canary Wharf and the O2 Arena – the views stretch up to 20 miles on a clear day. Then, you will head out to the open-air platform to begin your descent. 

The registration fee is £30 and the minimum donation or sponsorship £300. You must be over 14 to participate. 

Royal Parks Half Marathon

In 2018, 17 runners took on an incredible challenge in aid of Spread a Smile. You can follow in their footsteps by snapping up one of the remaining places for the Royal Parks Half Marathon 2019 on Sunday 13 October. Join 16,000 runners for this 13.1 mile race, taking in world famous London landmarks. Register for your place or email amanda@spreadasmile.org for more information. 

The registration fee is £30 and minimum donation or sponsorship is £370.

We are incredibly excited to announce a brand new partnership with sought after makeup brand Trinny London. 

Trinny Woodall, world renowned fashion and make up expert, is the brains behind the makeup brand and she jumped at the chance to help us to spread more smiles. 

To kick-off our exciting partnership, Trinny London is launching two brand new FreshFlush LIP2CHEEKS, called Mama and Katja, in time for Mother’s Day and is generously donating 10% of sales from both LIP2CHEEK colours to Spread a Smile. Look out for our logo on the products, which can be bought from Fenwick in Bond Street, Brent Cross, Newcastle and trinnylondon.com. 

Trinny said: “We are thrilled to be able to support Spread a Smile, which is a phenomenally good cause. Our LIP2CHEEKS accentuate a smile so this seemed the perfect way to support this wonderful charity. I hope that, through the sale of Mama and Katja, we can help to spread more smiles and laughter to seriously ill children in hospital.”

In the run up to Mother’s Day and beyond, Trinny will be posting news about her partnership with us in her own inimitable, fantastic style so do check out her Instagram @trinnylondon 

Alexandra Shulman in conversation with Gaby Roslin

On Monday 14^th January, former editor of British Vogue, Alexandra Shulman, was in conversation with TV presenter and host Gaby Roslin chatting about her time at the helm of the iconic fashion magazine and all in aid of Spread a Smile.

An audience of 70+ joined us at Century Club in Soho as Alexandra described her 25 years in charge of Britain’s leading fashion magazine.

We are so grateful to Alexandra Shulman and Gaby Roslin for so generously giving up their time and to the Century Club for providing a fabulous venue for the evening. Please keep an eye out for our next “in conversation with” event.

Irwin Mitchell pledges their support

We are delighted to have been chosen as Charity of the Year for the London office of law firm Irwin Mitchell. The national law firm’s annual charity initiative sees staff across 13 of its offices take part in a vote to select a good cause which they can support through both voluntary work and fundraising events. It is part of work undertaken by the Irwin Mitchell Charities Foundation (IMCF), an independent charity founded in 1997 which has raised more than £1.8 million for charities in the UK and abroad. This year, the London office of Irwin Mitchell has voted to support the work of Spread a Smile. 

Partner Alison Eddy said, “As a firm we have always been passionate about doing what we can to support important causes and organisations through both the IMCF and the Charity of the Year initiative. 

“Spread a Smile undertakes incredibly important work to bring joy, entertainment & laughter to children who are seriously ill and we are already planning a range of activities across the year which will ensure that vital funds are raised to support its services. 

“Helping good causes is a core part of life here at Irwin Mitchell and we are excited about seeing just how much we can do for Spread a Smile and our other chosen charities across the coming months.”

We plan to use funds raised by Irwin Mitchell to specifically support our work at The Royal London Hospital, reaching up to 1,500 patients next year. The site specialises in cystic fibrosis, retinoblastoma and gastroenterology and also has a paediatric critical care unit and neonatal unit for babies. 

Lucy Jackson, chief executive of Spread a Smile, said: “We burst into spontaneous applause when we heard Irwin Mitchell will be supporting us in 2019. We are a small charity so every penny raised really will make a difference to us and help us to spread even more smiles to seriously ill children in hospital in London.

“We are looking forward to getting to know staff at Irwin Mitchell and having lots of fun along the way.”

Feeling Festive at Chickenshed

We began to get into the festive spirit early on in December, as we took 30 guests to see Chickenshed’s A Christmas Carol. The Victorian tale had had a makeover: it was a brand new musical version updated to 1930s Britain. It was a real extravaganza – Chickenshed are an inclusive theatre company, and the cast was over 200-strong!

Our guests loved the afternoon. They were excited to meet and take a selfie with some of the cast before the show, including Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past. They were also treated to a Spread a Smile welcome with pizza and brownies, and got into the spirit of the season with many a fine Christmas jumper!

And the show was a hit.

Mum Anna said: “Thanking you all for the fun-filled day at Chickenshed today. Such welcoming and accommodating staff, as well as a fantastic performance of The Christmas Carol. A reminder of what is important and for the many everyday little things to be grateful for.”

Christine, mother of 6-yr-old Theo, said: “Thank you so much Spread a Smile for inviting us to Chickenshed to watch A Christmas Carol. We loved seeing you all again. Thank you all for doing amazing things for our children. It really makes a difference. Our son always looks forward to seeing you all at University College Hospital.”

A big thank you to Chickenshed for a wonderful afternoon, and our entertainers and volunteers for making the event a delight for our guests.

Bone Marrow Transplant Unit Visits at GOSH

Since April, we have been given special access to visit children in isolation rooms on Fox and Robin wards at Great Ormond Street Hospital. These wards are for children who need a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. They are treated in strict isolation before and after their transplant as they are at major risk of infection.

As infection control on these wards is so high, our entertainers are not allowed to enter the isolation rooms as this would compromise the patients. Instead they entertain the children through the room windows, communicating using the intercom system. Our entertainers have become adept at knowing what sort of performance will work under these limitations – a particular test for our magicians whose tricks normally rely on audience participation. They are so brilliant that they are still able to amaze and astound despite the lack of contact. We were approved for access to the ward after proving our due diligence with the understandably high standard of hygiene required.

The children, who range in age from 0 to 18 years, are kept in isolation usually for 3-4 weeks post-transplant – some for much longer. They are allowed visits from up to three carers, but their siblings are not allowed to visit until their neutrophil – a form of white blood cell – count is back to a safe level. The time in the room is very taxing. Play Specialist Amy Crowley told us, “They are not allowed to leave the room so they are naturally constricted. They are also connected to machines and pumps for the majority of the day so they do not have free movement. They are isolated from their friends and family, have no privacy and suffer from disturbed sleep. They never have a break.”

We spoke to Beverley, mother of Celeste who spent four months in an isolation room after her bone marrow transplant surgery. Celeste was 10 years old at the time and received a bone marrow transplant from her older sister as part of treatment for leukaemia.

Beverley said they were desperate for Spread a Smile to visit: “Celeste’s long four months in one room were incredibly isolating. She was not allowed to leave her room for the full four months after surgery, and couldn’t see her siblings for the first two months. The only visitors allowed for the initial stretch were me, and her dad at weekends when he wasn’t at work. Celeste couldn’t even see her twin sister.”

Play Specialist Amy stressed the importance of Spread a Smile’s visits: “The children and families love and appreciate seeing all the different entertainers. It brings happiness to the ward. I think Spread a Smile is amazing. To see the children’s faces when the entertainers come to their windows is a picture. Your performers are incredible. I can’t thank you enough for everything you do for Fox and Robin kids.”

Smile Party ’18

As the festive period approaches, it always means one thing at Spread a Smile HQ – the best party in town!

On Sunday 25^th November, we were delighted and honoured to invite over 300 VIP guests to our Smile Party at the London Marriott Hotel Regents Park.

The space was crammed full of everything a child would dream of when conjuring up the perfect party. Favourites of our previous parties returned, such as the brilliant Build-a-Bear workshop and the delicious Lola’s Cupcakes. But this year we were also able to offer some fabulous new surprises! Surrey Car Meet members brought their awesome supercars for the guests to look at, sit in and admire. This Is Yr Live provided super-popular bespoke T-shirt printing, so our guests could design and take home their very own unique t-shirts. And we also welcomed some A-list celebrities of our own: Peppa Pig, George popped in to say hello as did Chase and Skye from Paw Patrol, thanks to the support of our generous friends at Spin Master UK.

Other highlights were Spread a Smile regulars, Pan’n’Ice, the innovative ice cream company that make ice cream crepes to order, virtual reality rides from VR Hire UK, the fabulous hair stylists from the Larry King salon in Kensington, who made our guests feel wonderful with their Blowdry Bar and the wonderful sushi provided by Sushidog. There were delicious treats from the sweetshop, built by our amazing sponsors Lawsons and filled with sweets by Swizzels Matlow. Arts and crafts workshops were ever popular, and the children – and even some of their parents – loved having their faces painted by our talented team. The dancefloor was seriously bouncing, and our younger guests put us to shame when they showed us how to floss! And of course, our wonderful Spread a Smile entertainers were there to keep the party going with a swing!

When it was time to go home, all our guests took home gorgeous going home goodies generously donated by Spin Master, Scholastic and Skinnydip, and brilliant animal balloons from Walking Pet Balloons.

Smile Party ’18 really was our best party yet and it wouldn’t have been possible without all the incredible suppliers, entertainers and volunteers who made it such a success.

A big thank you to BlackRock, Build-a-Bear Workshop, Coca-Cola, Djay Events, Hunter Price, JH Video Booth, Kellmatt Ltd, Larry King Hair, Nu Nosh, Nails by Mets, Lola’s Cupcakes, Pan’n’Ice, Pop Fusion Events, Speakeasy Bars, Ralson, Skinnydip, Scholastic, Rainbow Mascots, Spin Master, Surrey Car Meet, Sushidog, Swizzels Matlow, VR Hire UK, St John’s Ambulance, This Is Yr Live and Walking Pet Balloons.

As ever the London Marriott Hotel Regents Park was a great host and we are incredibly grateful for their continued support. We would like to say an extra special thank you to our wonderful friends at Lawsons Building and Timber Suppliers for sponsoring the party and making it all possible!!

Smile Gifts

If you would like to send a more meaningful gift to your family and friends this Christmas or Chanukah then look no further! Send the gift of smiles!

By making a donation in lieu of a gift, you will be spreading smiles and laughter to seriously ill children in hospital. For each gift sponsored, we will send a personalised card to you or the recipient describing your donation and the gift chosen in their name.

You can choose from one of four gifts:

£100 will pay for an entertainer to visit 15 children in hospital.

£58 will pay for a face painter set. We have developed a special method of painting faces in hospital. This kit will ensure our face-painters are fully equipped with all the tools they need to paint the perfect face.

£25 will pay for a special toy for a seriously ill child stuck in their hospital bed over the festive period

£13 will pay for a magic kit. Our magicians always know just what to do to get a smile and this kit will make sure they have all the tools to do just that.

Whichever gift you choose, your recipient will know they have brought some much-needed joy and laughter to a hospital ward this festive period.

To purchase your gift, click here