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fairy

leanne

Entertainer Spotlight

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

We are pleased that Spread a Smile has been featured in Chat magazine recently, highlighting the work of Mel and Leanne, two of our dedicated entertainers. The article follows their journey from professional tribute performers to their roles at Spread a Smile, where they now bring joy and connection through their visits to young patients and families across our 39 NHS partner hospitals across the country.

As Leanne shared in the piece, “Every child I visit is special. A piece of them stays in my heart forever.” This personal connection is at the core of what our team does every day. We focus on improving the hospital experience for children by providing high-quality distraction and relief during what can be a very difficult time for the whole family.

We are proud to share that our team has grown to over 100 professional entertainers nationwide. This group includes singers, magicians, poets, artists, and therapy dogs, who are all specifically trained to work within the complexities of a hospital ward. Their expertise allows them to adapt every interaction to the individual needs of each child, ensuring that every visit is both safe and impactful.

Whether through a song at a bedside or a virtual visit, our entertainers are committed to delivering high-quality support to those who need it most. By providing these vital services, we help children and their families navigate some of their most challenging days.

Spread a Smile receives no government funding and we rely solely on the generosity of our supporters to keep our team on the wards. We can only provide these essential visits through your donations. Please donate today to help us continue our work.

 

Spread a Smile Fairy School

Spread a Smile ‘Fairy School’

 1024 683 Susie
By:

Spread a Smile fairies are a very special part of our team of Entertainers. Not only are they extremely talented, but they also bring a unique, magical quality which makes them so good at what they do.

We chatted to Fairy Ellie, Head of our Fairy School to find out what it takes to be a Spread a Smile fairy…

Fairy Ellie - Head of Fairy School

Fairy Ellie – Head of Fairy School

“We currently have around 12 fairies working within the Spread a Smile team of entertainers, all bringing something special to their work.

“The fairies joining our Fairy School already have beautiful singing voices, are skilled entertainers and have lots of experience working with children and young people. We also look for that little bit extra – enthusiasm, sensitivity, wonderful storytelling and the ability to immerse themselves and anyone they meet into their fairy world.

“A key part of Fairy School is to prepare our fairies for the specifics of working with (potentially vulnerable) young people in care settings. All of our entertainers undergo enhanced DBS checks and bespoke induction and safeguarding training. They must be able to understand and react to the needs of children of different age groups and abilities and adapt accordingly.

“We provide training as to the importance of language when talking to patients and their families and the protocols of working in hospitals – hygiene, etiquette, body language and how to keep themselves and the children they work with, safe and happy.

“Our fairies also undertake specific ‘fairy’ training, including shadowing other Spread a Smile fairies and entertainers on virtual and in person visits to see first-hand how things work and what is expected.

“Once a fairy graduates from Fairy School, they receive their own Fairy Book and survival kit containing lots of useful fairy things. Each fairy has their own fairy unform with unique touches of colour and personality which represents them and helps share their story and bring their own special touch of magic. We encourage our fairies to bring their fairy world and experiences to life and to wear their wings with pride.

“The children absolutely love visits from the fairies and usually want to know everything about them, whether they have any family or pets, where they live, what they eat and what it’s actually like to be a fairy. Fairies are often asked why they have straps on their wings and for those that don’t know, it’s to protect their wings as they fly through the clouds – particularly through the inclement British weather.  

“The wider entertainer team is always on hand to answer any questions and support as need be. When going into hospitals, our fairies always work as part of a team, usually with another Spread a Smile Fairy Bettyentertainer e.g. Magician, balloon artist, singer, and supported by a Visit Manager who liaises with the Hospital and Specialist Play Teams. The role of a fairy is to bring the extra sparkle and help the children we support to escape into a magical world, hopefully forgetting illness, pain and treatment – even if it’s just for a moment.”

Fairy Betty, one of our most recent fairy graduates said:

“It is an absolute privilege to be part of the Spread a Smile team and to be able to bring some fairy magic to seriously ill children and young people. As a fairy, I believe that every child should be able to experience the joy and wonder that our world can bring. To be able to share this with families during some of their most difficult times is really special.”

 

If you are interested in joining our team of entertainers, please complete our online application form here.