Posts Tagged :

awareness

Proud to support Race Equality Week

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Race Equality Matters is a UK-wide initiative working to achieve race equality in workplaces. Each year, it hosts Race Equality Week (this year starting on Monday 3 February), which brings people together to raise awareness and tackle barriers to race equality.

Unfortunately, as shown from thousands of individuals taking part in polls, progress has been slow, and a key challenge is improving understanding of race-related issues. Race inequality can only be addressed and eradicated if everyone takes action.

As part of our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work, our team will be taking part in the 5-Day Race Equality Challenge, an impactful way to learn about race inequality, covering various different themes.

‘’Every small step we take is like sowing the seeds for change — whether big or small, each action matters.’’

If you or your organisation would like to find out more about getting involved, you can find out more here.

Supporter Nick Stewart takes on Hyrox

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Nick Stewart is a Climate Change & CFO Leader at Baringa Partners and joined the Spread a Smile Business Committee in 2023 to help explore new fundraising and awareness for the charity. We spoke to Nick about how he became involved with Spread a Smile and his Hyrox fundraising challenge which raised £3,000 to help spread smiles to the families we support.

“A good friend of mine, Mark London who sits on Spread a Smile’s Business Committee, first introduced me to the charity. I’d been working with Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) for a number of years and when I met Lucy Jackson, Spread a Smile’s Chief Executive, I realised the connection between the two charities, as Spread a Smile entertainers regularly visit GOSH to spread smiles across the wards.  I’ve seen firsthand the difference Spread a Smile’s entertainers make in hospital and the impact is huge. I was looking to give a bit more time to charities that I feel passionately about, and this felt like the perfect fit.

“I was delighted to join Spread a Smile’s Business Committee and really enjoyed my first meeting. We’re in the process of setting our plans and developing ways to support Spread a Smile and raise vital funds and awareness. It’s exciting to think of the difference we will help make. I’ve spent a lot of the last five years working in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) arena, so I’m hoping to bring a good network across the city to support our aims.

“I also decided to fundraise for the charity and was already signed up to Hyrox, a global fitness race which is quite intense and designed to test your overall body strength and fitness. It’s a real challenge, so seemed perfect. I trained with a group of friends from my gym, Roam Athletics, and we all took part in Hyrox at the ExCel Centre, London back in November. It was the most excruciating and challenging activity I’ve done, both mentally and physically, but I really enjoyed it and I’m hoping to sign up again. I was delighted to raise £3,000 in total and am extremely grateful to all my friends and colleagues for supporting me. I was pleased to finish in one hour 22 as the World Record is  just under one hour.

“Alongside the fundraising, I also joined the team in December at the Spread a Smile office to help pack up their Christmas Hampers. It was great to meet the wider team and really get a feel for the work they are doing and the difference they are making. I’m so glad to be a part of that and am very much looking forward to next steps and what lies ahead for this brilliant charity.”

A huge thank you to Nick for his incredible commitment and support. If you are interested in finding out how you or your company can support Spread a Smile and help spread smiles to seriously ill children and their families, please get in touch by email today. We’ll look forward to hearing from you.

Introducing our Real Estate Committee

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We are proud to announce the launch of our new Real Estate Committee, created to explore new avenues to help us raise funds and awareness for the children and families we support.

The Real Estate Committee is a first for Spread a Smile. Chaired by Shaun Simons, Founder of Compton, the Committee brings together key industry figures; Richard Fine and Dan Uzan, Brotherton, alongside James Lass, Swiss Life Asset Managers, Michael Mirelman, GRE Finance and Chris Davies, CEO, Uncommon.

Prior to the unveiling of the Committee, Compton has already hosted two very well-attended dinners at their restaurant, with a guestlist from the real estate world. The dinner was a brilliant networking opportunity raising important funds to support Spread a Smile’s work, providing in-hospital and virtual entertainment for critically ill children and their families. The idea for the dinners was conceived following a meeting between Lucy Jackson, the charity’s Chief Executive and Shaun Simons, Founder of Compton, who specialise in commercial office leasing & investment.

Collectively the group will create opportunities to raise awareness and vital funds for the charity, via a programme of intimate events and industry dinners, at which guests will learn all about the crucial support that Spread a Smile provides.

Shaun Simons said of his role, “I was blown away when I first learned of the work that Spread a Smile does.  They are an amazingly unique charity and the support they provide really resonated with me from the very first introduction.  My son, who is now 10, was born 4 months premature and together with my wife, we spent over 5 months in various hospitals whilst he received urgent care. Having had significant exposure to many children’s wards I can really understand the importance of the service Spread a Smile provides.

“I have worked in the property industry for 23 years, it’s an amazingly social industry filled with great people. I have formed a strong and widespread network and along with my fellow committee members, I’m confident we can help raise the profile of the charity. I’m sure we will have amazing support from the property industry, a sector that currently knows very little about what the charity provides and the joy they can bring to those struggling. 

Shaun added, “I simply could not refuse the Chair position and I’m really flattered to be asked, and am eager to get stuck in, personally and professionally.  The wider Compton team will also work closely with the Committee, and will be supporting our plans across the Compton brand platforms to further spotlight the incredibly important work Spread a Smile do.”

Lucy Jackson, Spread a Smile’s Chief Executive said “I’m so looking forward to working with Shaun and the rest of the committee. I’m incredibly grateful to all of them for giving up their time and making important introductions to support our work and raise funds and awareness. This will enable Spread a Smile to continue to deliver our work and support new hospitals, spreading smiles to seriously ill children and their families when they need it the most.”

The Committee’s 2023 programme will deliver two events; invite only dinners with engaging speakers and entertainment. The ambition is to bolster this with more events, plus open them out further inviting members from within the wider property community to get involved, all in an attempt to further raise the Spread a Smile charity.

To find out more about the Committee or how your company could get involved with supporting Spread a Smile, please email Lucy Keith at lucykeith@spreadasmile.org. Read more about our Real Estate Committee members here.