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Play in Healthcare week spread a smile 2025

Play in Healthcare Week

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

Play in Healthcare Week 2025

Play in Healthcare Week (PIHW – formerly known as Play in Hospital Week) is a special week which raises awareness of the benefits and importance of play in healthcare settings.

At Spread a Smile, we believe that play is integral to a child’s health, wellbeing and development. For children facing illness and time in hospital, away from friends, family and everything they know, play can be difficult to access. This is where Spread a Smile comes in; offering opportunities for play and moments of joy, connection, and normalcy in an otherwise clinical and often frightening environment.

Recent research reinforces what Spread a Smile has long known: play is an essential part of a child’s health and wellbeing, and its presence in healthcare settings can transform the experience of young patients. Despite this recognition, play often remains undervalued and under resourced in healthcare settings.

This Play in Healthcare Week, Spread a Smile will support our NHS hospital partners to help bring the joy of play into the hospital setting, including a schedule of regular in-person partner visits, a special one-off visit to Hillingdon Hospital, a cupcake decorating workshop at UCLH and more.

Spread a Smile’s talented entertainers will create meaningful opportunities for play that brighten hospital wards, providing opportunities for pain distraction and engagement and space for children just to be children again.

A scoping review by the University of Cambridge’s PEDAL Centre and Starlight Children’s Foundation highlights that play “can profoundly influence children’s experience of receiving healthcare and their perception of being well amidst health adversity”. Play helps reduce stress and anxiety, fosters emotional resilience, and even supports physical recovery. It allows children to process their emotions, gain a sense of control, and find comfort during challenging times.

As the UK government develops its 10-year health plan with a focus on creating “the healthiest generation of children ever”, Spread a Smile champions the vital role of play and joy in children’s healthcare. Every day, we witness its’ transformative impact and of laughter, creativity and connection on a child’s wellbeing. Our vision is for every seriously ill child in hospital to have access to play and moments of joy and no child feels alone in their journey. Please consider making a donation to help us do just that.

Spread a Smile has lots planned for Play in Healthcare Week…

A joyful start at Hillingdon Hospital
We will launch the week with a very special visit to Hillingdon Hospital in Uxbridge, Spread a Smile entertainers Louise and Colette will spend the day visiting young patients with incredible balloon models, music and plenty of smiles.

An extra-special visit to John Radcliffe Hospital
As part of our expanded efforts for PIHW, we will be proud to arrange an additional visit to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Our entertainers will visit young patients across all inpatient and outpatient wards with personalised bedside visits including musical performances and magic shows to suit each young patient’s individual needs.

Cupcake creativity at UCH, thanks to Lola’s
Over at University College Hospital (UCH) in London, PIHW celebrations will continue with a delicious twist. Thanks to our friends at Lola’s Cupcakes, we will host hands-on cupcake decorating sessions, with young patients being able to design and decorate their own treats. These workshops provide a chance for children to express themselves, take a break from the clinical environment, and have some fun during their hospital stay.

Spread a Smile’s Director of Services, Laura Walter, said

“Play in Hospital Week is a fantastic opportunity to reflect on the work we do and the values we hold at Spread a Smile – bringing fun, creativity and laughter into hospitals to help ease the clinical environment. Through our additional visits this week, we’ve been able to reach even more children and families, offering moments of joy when they’re needed most.

We’re so grateful to the hospitals and play teams we partner with for their tireless dedication to young patients, and to our supporters, entertainers and partners like Lola’s Cupcakes for helping make this week so special. PIHW 2025 is a powerful reminder of the vital role play continues to have in a child’s care, especially during life’s most challenging times.”

Play in Hospital Week is a powerful celebration of the vital role play has for the wellbeing of children facing long periods in hospital, and we’re grateful to Starlight Children’s Foundation and the Society of Health Play Specialists  (SoHPS) for their essential work in championing it.

Want to stay up to date with all things Spread a Smile? Sign up to our monthly e-newsletter here and receive our latest news directly to your inbox.

 

world smile day spread a smile

Spreading Smiles for World Smile Day

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

As part of our World Smile Day fundraising and awareness initiative, last week was full of so much joy and laughter as we reached our target of spreading over 800 smiles in just one week to seriously ill children, their families, and the healthcare professionals who care for them.

Our entertainers carried out an amazing 21 visits to 14 NHS hospitals, including visits to St George’s Hospital, Tooting, The Christie in Manchester and the Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) at King’s College Hospital.

We organised a bespoke visit for teenage patients at University College Hospital London (UCLH), a pamper day for parents and carers at Evelina Children’s Hospital, a brilliant cupcake decorating session for young patients at St Mary’s Hospital thanks to the amazing Lola’s Cupcakes and were delighted to welcome Pan-n-Ice on our visit to UCLH to deliver some of their delicious ice-cream rolls. Our thanks go to both Lola’s Cupcakes and Pan-n-Ice for their support and also to our wonderful friends from the LEGO Group who joined us at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) to provide opportunities for creative play and fun using the iconic LEGO® bricks.

We ended the week with our largest ever visit to GOSH, visiting all inpatients and outpatient wards, and spreading so much fun, magic and laughter to everyone we met.

World Smile Day is a chance for the world to take time to smile and feel the benefits that a smile can bring. Our supporters and friends shared their smiles with us on social media, helping to spread even more smiles around the world and we are so grateful to everyone who helped spread the word and supported our activities across our socials networks.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported World Smile Day 2025 – our incredible partners and all those who donated to ensure we can continue to spread even more smiles in the months to come.

We’re incredibly proud to have celebrated our biggest World Smile Day to date and are looking forward to next year and how we can make this initiative even bigger and better. If you or your company would like to partner with us to help make this happen, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch with Lucy Chesney, our Head of Partnerships at lucychesney@spreadasmile.org to find out more.

Although World Smile Day has passed, we’ll keep spreading smiles throughout the year and it’s not too late to set up a regular gift to help us deliver our upcoming seasonal activities including our Christmas Smile Hampers, hospital treat drops and our Winter Party.

Thank you so much to everyone who helped us spread a smile for World Smile Day 2025!

NHS healthcare professionals

Celebrating healthcare professionals

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

Last week we had the pleasure of hosting a special event to celebrate the incredible healthcare professionals we work with, welcoming staff from 11 of the NHS hospitals we support. We are immensely grateful for their tireless efforts and hard work in supporting the seriously ill children and families we work with and this annual event is a chance to thank them in person and give them a chance to relax and celebrate what they do together.

To bring some of our own magic to the evening, our Spread a Smile entertainers were on hand, with Judge the Poet performing spontaneous, personalised poetry, Magic Nick amazing guests with his incredible magic tricks, and Louise crafting intricate balloon models for our guests to take home.

The evening was made even more special thanks to our wonderful partners, Pan-n-Ice, Sushi Dog, and Lola’s Cupcakes who provided delicious food and treats for our special guests. We are also incredibly grateful to our friends from Uncommon for hosting the event and making us all so welcome.

Spread a Smile is proud to partner with 39 NHS hospitals across the country, working with hundreds of healthcare professionals to support seriously ill children and young people under their care. To find out about our work and how you can support us, please take a look here.

Fundraisers of the Month: Vidhi and Polly

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

This month, we’ve been overwhelmed with incredible fundraising efforts from our brilliant supporters. This month, we’re sharing Vidhi and Polly’s stories with you. Their hard work and dedication has been inspirational, helping us spread many more smiles to seriously ill children and their families.

Vidhi’s Birthday Fundraiser

Vidh

For her ninth birthday, Vidhi chose to fundraise for Spread a Smile in support of our Intensive Care Library Project. Vidhi dedicated herself to the cause by skipping, selling cupcakes, and approaching local businesses to get them involved, raising an incredible £5,725 to fund books to for our libraries at our NHS hospital partners.

Vidhi told us, “I was eight when I skipped, I baked and worked extremely hard to help children in hospital. Together with over 1,000 supporters and close to 400 donors, we raised over £5,725!

“I’m really looking forward to seeing the many happy faces when the books are delivered. I want to carry on, grateful for how good it feels to make a difference.”

Polly’s Plod

Polly's Plod

Polly raised an amazing £2,600 by plodding over 40 miles throughout August. She exceeded her goal of a mile a day, pushing herself whenever her energy levels allowed and we loved seeing how she got on across the month.

Polly’s mum shared this message with us: “We have been lucky enough to experience the impact of Spread a Smile first hand and will be forever grateful to the charity for giving Polly her smile back in times where it felt like her smile would never return.

“We would like to say a huge thank you to each and every one of you for plodding alongside Polly, both literally and metaphorically.”

Thank you to Vidhi, Polly and their families for their wonderful support and for going the extra mile to raise so much to spread smiles to seriously ill children in hospital.

 

If you’re feeling inspired by these two superstars, why not take on your own fundraising challenge and help make a difference to the families we support? Email rimi@spreadasmile.org to find out more.

 

 

 

Brent Dyer Cycling fundraiser

Brent Dyer’s cycling challenge fundraiser

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

Inspired by his daughter Aimee, who works as an entertainer for Spread a Smile, Brent Dyer has completed an incredible cycling journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats, raising over £1,000 to support our work.

Over a period of just over three weeks, Brent battled a series of obstacles during the 1,000 mile journey. He had to contend with the remnants of Storm Floris in the Scottish Highlands and endured countless punctures along the way. Despite these setbacks, the kindness of strangers who donated on the spot and the positive messages he received kept him motivated. Here’s what Brent has to say:

“It was a pleasure and an honour to raise money for such a wonderful charity as Spread a Smile, and I really appreciated all the encouragement and positive messages I got from the Spread a Smile team, which really picked me up on days when I didn’t feel I wanted to continue with the ride.

“I would encourage anyone to do a challenge like the LEJOG 1000 for such a worthwhile charity because no matter how tough the challenge may be at times, it is more than compensated for by the enjoyment you get at the end when you find out how much money you have raised that you know will go towards putting smiles on children’s faces who are going through such heartbreakingly difficult times.”

His determination has paid off, and we can’t wait to see what he achieves next. The vital funds raised will support our work spreading smiles to seriously ill children and their families.

Inspired to take on your own fundraising challenge? Take a look at our upcoming challenge events here.

Nicci Dennis Spread a Smile

Introducing our new EA and Office Manager

 740 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

Spread a Smile is delighted to welcome Nicci Dennis, who joins the team as Executive Assistant to Lucy Jackson and Office Manager. We spoke to Nicci about her background in the charity sector, and what she’s most looking forward to in her new role at Spread a Smile. Here’s what she had to say: 

“I’ve worked in PA and EA roles for almost three decades across a variety of industries, but in 2020 I made the move into the charity sector when I joined Anthony Nolan – an organisation that saves and improves the lives of people with blood cancer and blood disorders, and holds the UK’s largest stem cell register.

“Shifting into the charity world felt like a natural step that aligned with my personal values. I love knowing that the work I contribute has real meaning and impact. Fundraising has long been a passion of mine; I’ve completed the London Marathon, the London to Brighton Bike Ride and regularly took part in the 5K Swimathon, alongside my two daughters.

“Joining the Spread a Smile team as EA and Office Manager has already exceeded my expectations. The energy and passion here is contagious, and I’ve been welcomed so warmly by everyone. I’ve had the privilege of attending a Spread a Smile Family Event already and it was incredible to see the team in action, watching children laugh and play, and hearing parents share how much the charity means to them was truly inspiring. Supporting CEO Lucy Jackson and the wider team, I am excited to use my organisational expertise to help drive the charity’s mission forward.”

To get all our latest news sent directly to your inbox each month, sign up to our monthly e-newsletter here. 

Teens Unite outdoor activity day

Outdoor Activity Day with Teens Unite

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

We recently had the privilege of working alongside our incredible friends at Teens Unite to provide a special outdoor activity day for young people living with or beyond cancer. Held at an outdoor center in Cheshunt, the event was filled with fun and laughter, providing young people a space to challenge themselves and try something new.

Teens Unite provides these activity days to help encourage young people back into physical activity after cancer treatment. The day was designed to be accessible to all, ensuring every participant could engage at their own pace.

Attendees took on a variety of challenges, from archery to bell boating to climbing. It was a day dedicated to trying new things and creating an encouraging environment. There was such a positive and supportive energy, and it was a joy to witness participants discover new strengths, have a fun day together, and meet other young people.

We are so glad to be able to work with Teens Unite to provide such wonderful days, and we look forward to continuing this partnership.

Want to stay tuned with all things Spread a Smile? Subscribe to our newsletter here to get our monthly supporter e-newsletter directly to your inbox.

Farewell and thank you to Louise Jacobs

 780 400 Susie
By:

We are saying a heartfelt thank you and fond farewell to our wonderful trustee, Louise Jacobs, who has stepped down from the Board after 8 incredible years of service.

Louise joined Spread a Smile in July 2017, bringing with her a wealth of experience from the charity and corporate sectors, alongside a deep passion for improving the lives of children and families. Her commitment, energy and insight have been invaluable as we’ve grown and evolved as a charity.

During her time as a trustee, Louise helped guide us through a period of significant transformation, including the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the expansion of our hospital partnerships, and the development of our new strategy. She has been a thoughtful, generous and compassionate presence on our Board, always keeping the children and young people we support at the heart of every decision.

Louise said, “I have been inspired every day by the dedication of the team and the joy they bring to children and families facing unimaginably difficult times. It has been a privilege to play a small part in helping to grow this remarkable charity and I will continue to champion its work wherever I can.”

Louise brought warmth, wisdom, experience and a great sense of humour to the boardroom, and a genuine belief in the power of joy and human connection, values that are at the very core of Spread a Smile.

Paul Godfrey, Chair of Trustees, said: “Louise has been a truly outstanding trustee: insightful, committed, and always guided by compassion. Her contributions have shaped key moments in our charity’s journey and her voice has been one of strength and kindness throughout. On behalf of the Board and the whole Spread a Smile family, I want to thank her sincerely for everything she’s given us.”

While we will miss Louise’s leadership and presence on the Board, she will always remain a cherished member of the Spread a Smile family and we look forward to welcoming her back to support our family events and hospital visits.

From all of us – staff, fellow trustees, entertainers, volunteers and families – thank you, Louise, for helping us to spread so many smiles over the past 8 years.

To find out more about our Board of Trustees, please take a look here.

Bringing Pamper Days to King’s

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

Last week, we were delighted to host our first Pamper Day at King’s Hospital, London. Our incredible aromatherapist, Collette, was joined by volunteer Precious, offering parents and carers of children with long-term hospital stays the chance to relax and unwind.

Throughout the day, we provided a range of soothing treatments, including aromatherapy and hand massages. Precious was on-hand making people feel beautiful by providing incredible hair cuts and blow dries. These small but significant treatments are designed to offer a moment of self-care and respite from the demanding nature of hospital life.

We know that during a child’s long-term hospital stay, moments of self-care and relaxation are often difficult to find. That’s why it was such a pleasure for us to provide this space for parents and carers to relax. We are committed to bringing more moments of joy and tranquility to the hospital environment and look forward to providing more relaxation to parents and guardians on future visits.

Learn more about what we do at Spread a Smile and sign up for our e-newsletter here to get our news directly in your inbox.

Lola's cupcakes

National Cupcake Day with Lola’s Cupcakes

 780 400 Gabrielle Devine
By:

For National Cupcake Day on Sunday 17 August, we’re celebrating our brilliant partnership with our friends from Lola’s Cupcakes.

Lola’s Cupcakes first supported Spread a Smile in 2013, when the charity was just one year old. Since then, Lola’s has been an integral part of our journey as we’ve grown and expanded our services to help more seriously ill children and their families. They have regularly supported us by donating delicious cupcakes for hospital visits and family events, and even providing stalls for our Summer and Winter Parties.

“We are so grateful to everyone at Lola’s Cupcakes for their generosity and kindness, through their delicious donations and support. Nothing is ever too much trouble for their wonderful team and our families absolutely love a Lola’s Cupcake. It’s really important to us to make sure the families we support enjoy wonderful experiences together and are helped to feel as special as possible. A huge thank you from everyone at Spread a Smile for being such a wonderful partner and helping us do just that.” Laura Walter, Spread a Smile Director of Services

Thank you to everyone at Lola’s Cupcakes for helping us to spread smiles to seriously ill children and their families when they are needed most. We appreciate all that you do.

If you or your company would like to explore opportunities for working with Spread a Smile to make a difference, please reach out to our Head of Partnerships Lucy Chesney at lucychesney@spreadasmile.org .