Posts Tagged :

lego group

Half-Term Events for Families

780 400 Gabrielle Devine

During October half-term, we were delighted to host two very special events for the families we support,  made possible thanks to support from our incredible supporters and partners.

A Creative Day at The LEGO Group’s London Office

On Monday 28 October, 17 families joined us at the LEGO Group’s London Office in London for a fabulous Lilo & Stitch-themed day. We’re proud to have been working with our friends from the LEGO Group for a number of years through a range of family events, volunteering opportunities and support initiatives. Families enjoyed a packed schedule of activities, including hands-on LEGO® building, arts and crafts, face painting, and magical entertainment from one of Spread a Smile’s brilliant magicians. There were also plenty of delicious treats to keep energy levels high.

It was a wonderful day of creativity and fun, with the LEGO volunteers brilliantly leading each activity and engaging with the patients and their families. It was filled with joyful, special family moments – something that can be hard to find when managing everything that comes with serious illness.

Lilo & Stitch at Everyman Cinema

Later in the week, 20 families joined us at Everyman Cinema, London for another Lilo & Stitch-themed event watching the brand-new live-action film. Before the screening, families were treated to a lively pre-screen party with magic from one of Spread a Smile’s amazing entertainers, singing, a quiz, and, of course, pizza and snacks for everyone to enjoy. The experience gave families a chance to enjoy the simple magic of a trip to the cinema – something that can often be out of reach while navigating treatment schedules and hospital stays.

We know that school holidays can add extra layers when looking after children, so our events and virtual sessions aim to support families with seriously ill children during these times, giving access to fun and distracting activities and a chance for families to make memories and spend quality time.

Our thanks to the LEGO Group for their ongoing and valuable support, helping us create such wonderfully engaging events for the families we work with. Also, to Everyman Cinema always making our VIP guests feel so welcome.

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Lego Play pavilion charity day

World Play Day with the LEGO Group

780 400 Gabrielle Devine

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.