Posts Tagged :

charity

Saucony 2025 Run charity

Herne Hill Run Club takes on the Saucony 10K

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
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The atmosphere in London’s city centre this weekend was buzzing as over 17,000 runners took part in the annual Saucony 10K. Among them were 14 members of the Herne Hill Run Club, who took on the race as a fundraising challenge for Spread a Smile.

Despite the summer heat, the Herne Hill runners demonstrated their sportsmanship and determination, powering through to the finish line in their Spread a Smile running tops and helping to raise vital funds for seriously ill children and young people along the way. A huge thank you to the Herne Hill Run Club for going the extra mile to support Spread a Smile.

A 10K run is a great challenge for both new runners and experienced athletes aiming for a personal best. As the Herne Hill Run Club demonstrated, it’s a fantastic way for your own run club to come together, train for a shared goal, and raise vital funds to support our work.

If you’re inspired, Spread a Smile has spaces for the Vitality 10K on Sunday 28 September 2025, offering a perfect opportunity to achieve your fitness goals before the end of summer, all while raising vital funds to help us spread even more smiles when they’re needed most.

Secure your place now!

 

 

Lego Play pavilion charity day

World Play Day with the LEGO Group

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

Spread a Smile was delighted to be invited by the LEGO Group to welcome some of the families we support to the LEGO Play Pavilion at the Serpentine Gallery, London for some exciting LEGO® based workshops and fun.

The pop-up pavilion was installed to celebrate World Play Day, the LEGO Group’s celebration of the UN’s International Day of Play on 11 June and featured brilliant LEGO® creations including a LEGO® wall, slide and a giant parrot. Families supported by Spread a Smile were invited to join across two days, immersing themselves in the world of play and LEGO® and taking part in three workshops:

“Abstract Art” – using large trays of LEGO® in all different shapes, sizes and colours, guests were encouraged to make an abstract piece of art which were then displayed on a large mural wall.

“Pop Art” – for this workshop, the families used a 10 x 10 base board to create any design they wanted in the style of pop art, which finished pieces including a rainbow and characters such as Mario and PAC-Man!

“Speed Building Challenge” – This fun, quick fire building challenge saw our families create a robot using their LEGO® within 7 minutes, before adapting the robots to fly and then adding extra parts so the robot could swim underwater.

LEGO play pavilion

Events such as these provide meaningful and valuable opportunities for families with seriously ill children to do something fun together, providing moments of creativity, connection, and enjoyment.

The workshop leaders were fantastic, showing incredible patience and adapting the workshops to suit each family, and we are so grateful to the LEGO Group for offering this wonderful opportunity to the families we support.

At Spread a Smile, we are proud of the partnerships we build with our corporate supporters. We’ve worked with the LEGO Group for a number of years, developing innovative initiatives to support families with seriously ill children and creating a special and mutually beneficial partnership which engages and inspires everyone involved.

If you or your company would like to find out more about developing a bespoke partnership with Spread a Smile, then please do reach out to Rosie Perkins from our Partnerships Team at rosie@spreadasmile.org.

Toys Hospital Visit Spread a Smile Hasbro

Visit to Southampton Children’s Hospital

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

For International Day of Play on 11 June, the Spread a Smile team took to the road to make a special in-person visit to Southampton Children’s Hospital, bringing moments of joy and laughter to the wards.

We were joined by our wonderful friends at Hasbro, who generously volunteered their time and donated toys to give out to patients and be used in communal play sessions, to help make the day as fun as possible.

Spread a Smile magicians Lee and Nick, Fairy Kirsten and singer Tasha all brought the usual Spread a Smile magic to the visit, reaching over 50 patients across the wards and spreading smiles, happiness and laughter.

Fiona Delement, Health Play Specialist at Southampton Children’s Hospital said,

“The Spread a Smile visit was fantastic! Your team was amazing, so kind, caring and completely understood the way hospitals work. They were patient and understanding and fantastic at their jobs. They definitely did what it said on their t-shirts – the smiles were great to see, and we had such lovely comments from staff and families. My highlights were hearing belly laughter from the children who weren’t keen to start with and the little girl in ED who asked if she could sing for us.”

At Spread a Smile, we recognise the important role of play for children and young people in hospital. During times of isolation and vulnerability, when access to play might be limited, we aim to provide moments of distraction, and happiness. We see play as a key part of their well-being and recovery.

Our sincere thanks to Hasbro for their generosity, both in their toy donations and the support of their volunteers on the day. We are extremely proud of this wonderful partnership.

Sign up to our newsletter here to stay up to date with all things Spread a Smile.

Corporate fundraising golf day

Canary Wharf Contractors Fund Golf Day

 780 400 Susie
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A highly anticipated event in the Spread a Smile calendar, the Canary Wharf Contractors Golf Day took place on Friday 20 June at the prestigious London Golf Club.

The tournament successfully brought together 200 golfers, including notable personalities such as former England football players Ray Parlour, Jamie O’Hara, and Neil Ruddock.

In true Spread a Smile style, our team were there to join in the fun, and the event featured a touch of magic, with our professional magicians entertaining players across the course. Their impressive tricks and illusions not only provided entertainment throughout the tournament but also offered attendees a direct insight into the unique service the charity provides for children in hospitals. These magical moments underscore the joy and distraction Spread a Smile aims to bring to seriously ill children facing challenging hospital stays.

The day culminated in a raffle and live auction, expertly hosted by presenter Pete Graves and we’re extremely grateful to everyone who joined in on the day for helping to raise vital funds to spread joy and laughter to seriously ill children in hospital.

Our thanks to Alec, Dan, and the entire team at Canary Wharf Contractors Fund for their brilliant support and for inviting us to be part of this special event.

Feeling inspired? Find out more about taking part in the Spread a Smile Golf Days, sponsored by Canary Wharf Contractors Fund on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 September 2025.

Happy 12th Birthday Spread a Smile

 780 400 Susie
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On 11 April 2025, Spread a Smile celebrated 12 years since the charity was founded, with a special party for patients and families in The Lagoon at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

We were delighted to welcome our friends from Redstor who kindly supported the event, and it was such a lovely day, with music, magic, fairy fun, balloons and delicious cupcakes from the amazing Lola’s Cupcakes. There was so much fun to be had by the patients, families and staff that joined us, and it was lovely to celebrate with everyone at GOSH, where our work began 12 years ago.

In 2013, Co-Founder Josephine’s young nephew, Aaron, was receiving treatment at GOSH. After noticing that Aaron was becoming increasingly withdrawn, Josephine arranged for a magician to visit. It had the most remarkable effect: Aaron’s spirits were lifted and his treatment became more bearable.

As a result, Aaron asked if magicians could also visit friends that he’d met on the ward and Josephine promised Aaron she would find a way to make it happen. Josephine teamed up with friend and former colleague Vanessa Crocker and working closely with GOSH, they founded Spread a Smile.

Since then, the Spread a Smile has continued to work closely with the team at GOSH to spread smiles to patients across the wards, providing regular in person entertainer visits, online sessions, treat drops and much more.

We are extremely proud of our work over the past 12 years spreading smiles to thousands of seriously ill children and their families and extremely grateful to all of our supporters for helping to make it all possible.

Please email us if you or your company would like to find out more about supporting future events like this – we’d love to hear from you!

A huge thank you to Redstor and Neil, Olena, Kateryna and Philipos for supporting the party and here’s to many more years spreading joy and happiness when it’s needed most.

Queen’s Hospital partners with Spread a Smile

 600 312 Susie
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Spread a Smile has announced a new partnership, with Queen’s Hospital in Romford, part of Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust. The charity will support children and young people receiving treatment at the hospital and they, along with their families, are invited to join the Spread a Smile family and benefit from its services.

Spread a Smile’s mission is to bring joy and laughter to as many seriously ill children as possible in NHS hospitals, clinical settings, hospices and homes across the UK. Queen’s Hospital joins 37 other major and speciality NHS hospitals, and six hospice partners already supported by the charity, taking Spread a Smile one step closer to its aim of spreading smiles to every seriously ill child and young person across the country.

The Spread a Smile team of talented entertainers, including musicians, artists, magicians and therapy dogs, will spend quality time with patients through regular in-person visits to the hospital. In addition, patients and their families will be able to access a range of its support services including virtual sessions, outings and events. All of which supports the charity’s aim of reaching and supporting as many young people as possible, spreading smiles and a lot of happiness to children undergoing treatment for serious illnesses and their families.

Caroline Jenkins, Health Play Specialist at Queen’s Hospital, said: “Having Spread a Smile visit us has really made such a difference to the children and young people at Queen’s Hospital in Romford, we are a busy district general hospital covering three very diverse areas. Spread a Smile’s visits are impactful brightening everyone’s day from the children and young people, their parents & carers and all the staff, the visits lift everyone’s mood. Thank you for all you do and we look forward to continuing to work with you helping you make an even greater impact in the future.”

Lucy Jackson, Spread a Smile Chief Executive added, “Spread a Smile’s aim is to bring joy and happiness into the lives of as many seriously ill children, young people and their families across the country as possible. We are delighted to be working in partnership with the brilliant team at Queen’s Hospital to deliver entertainment, laughter and bring the Spread a Smile magic to patients, families and staff alike.”

To find out more about what we do and how we support our hospital and hospice partners, click here.

Golf Days return in 2025

 780 400 Susie
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For the latest information on our 2026 Golf Days, please click here. 

This year, our much loved Golf Days will take place on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 September at the prestigious Woburn Golf Club and generously sponsored by Canary Wharf Contractors Fund.

The club is part of The Bedford Estates, London and the first 54 Hole venue to have all three courses ranked in Golf Monthly Magazines TOP 100 Courses in the UK and Ireland. It is a beautiful location and we can’t wait to welcome you all there to play on The Duke’s Course.

More information about the day and reserving your four-ball can be found here, or email Tash Newell to sign up today. We’d also love to hear from you if you’re interested in exploring our sponsorship opportunities.

Over the years, thousands of pounds have been raised through our Golf Days for our work spreading smiles to seriously ill children, young people and their families. They offer something a little bit different, with our entertainers joining our teams around the course to provide entertainment and share a little bit of Spread a Smile magic. They are genuinely days to remember, with guests coming back year on year and we hope to welcome many of our supporters in September.

Event details:
Venue: Woburn Golf Club, Little Brickhill, Milton Keynes, MK17 9LJ
Dates: Thursday 25 September (12pm shotgun start with brunch, then dinner at 6pm)
Friday 26 September (10am shotgun start with breakfast followed by lunch at 4pm)
Four-ball: £1,400
Sponsorship opportunities: Starting from £300 for Tee sponsorship

See photos from our 2024 Golf Days here.

With thanks to our sponsor:

Sweet fundraising success

 780 400 Susie
By:

As a charity, we rely on generous companies and individuals to fund our work and are grateful to all of our brilliant fundraisers who use their talents and energy to raise vital funds for our work spreading smiles to seriously ill children and young people.

Jess, aged 9 raised an incredible £236 for Spread a Smile after being introduced to the charity by her Dad, Shaun Simons.

Shaun told us, “Jess wanted to raise money to help others and came up with the fundraising idea herself, deciding that a sweet stall outside our home would be a fun and effective way to do it.

“I have been involved with Spread a Smile for a while as Chair of their Real Estate Committee and Jess has always admired the charity’s work. There was no doubt in her mind that this was the charity she wanted to support, knowing what an amazing cause it is.

“I’m immensely proud of the initiative Jess took and I hope it inspires other young people to think of creative ways to support good causes. She did everything herself, picking, packing and selling the sweets and it was a brilliant achievement.”

A huge thank you to Jess for all her hard work and support – you’re a superstar.

If Jess has inspired you, please get in touch with Rimi at rimi@spreadasmile.org to chat about your fundraising ideas and how we can support you.

New year, new challenge

 780 400 Susie
By:

As we head into the New Year, it’s the perfect time to take on your next challenge and make a meaningful difference.

Whether you’re looking to push your limits in fitness, bring your team together for a memorable adventure, or tick off a personal goal, we’ve got an event for you. Check out our challenges page here for inspiration or why not take on…

London Landmarks 2023You can also find a full list of exciting marathons and half marathons around the country here. And enjoy 50% off the registration fee for our Three Peaks Challenge when you sign up by 31 January. (Using the code SMILE50).

Every penny you raise will bring joy to children facing serious illnesses, creating moments of happiness when they’re needed most.

Make this year one to remember. The challenge starts with YOU.

For more information or if you have any questions please contact rimi@spreadasmile.org.

Annual Golf Days a huge success

 780 400 Susie
By:

Last week Spread a Smile was delighted to host our 4th annual Golf Days, sponsored by LMAC Group and held at the stunning Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire,

Credit Suzan Angela Moore

The events were a huge success with 44 teams joining us making them our biggest Golf Days to date!

Guests made the most of the beautiful weather around the stunning 18-hole Palmerston course, with Spread a Smile magicians on hand to spread a little bit of magic, and our musicians Collette and Andy singing and playing personalised dedications to cheer everyone on. As one player said, “Collette made even the grumpiest golfer smile”.

Once the scores were in, guests returned to the club house to enjoy a delicious three course meal, followed by prize giving, a raffle and our first ever auction conducted by our brilliant auctioneer Collette (adding another string to her bow!)

Spread a Smile Chief Executive, Lucy Jackson, also shared more about the work of Spread a Smile entertaining children and young people in hospital and how our golfers are helping to make a huge difference to the families we support.

A huge shout out to Wednesday and Thursday winners Executive Change and CMCEE Ltd, plus to Canary Wharf Contractors and Reel Estates for taking second place.

Also thanks to our headline event sponsor, LMAC Group, all of our tee sponsors and Newmark for sponsoring the golf balls.

An incredible £70,000 was raised across both days which will go a long way to helping Spread a Smile spread joy and laughter to even more children, young people and their families.

Take a look at photos from the days here and please do email Alicia to find out about joining us next year.

Also sign up to our e-newsletter to stay up to date with our brilliant fundraising events across the year.