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December
2016.
Glitter and Glow Party to Spread a Smile for Seriously Ill Children in London

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Glitter and Glow Party to Spread a Smile for Seriously Ill Children

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Over 300 excited children and teenagers, their families and carers are expected at the Spread a Smile Glitter and Glow party on 4thDecember at the Marriott Hotel, Regents Park.

Spread a Smile is a children's charity that sends entertainers to hospitals to visit and entertain seriously ill children, teenagers and their siblings.

The Glitter and Glow party is set to be a spectacular event, filled with exciting activities, entertainers, delicious food and lots of fun surprises.

To make the party even more specialChildren in Need's Pudsey Bearwill be making an appearance, and Spread a Smile will be launching Buddy, the its mascot. Buddy was designed and named by Caris Baughan, who won a competition run byFirst Newsthe children's newspaper, to create Spread a Smile's mascot.

Having a seriously ill child can have a considerable impact on the family and the charity knows that it can be a huge strain for siblings who can often feel left out as the family focus on the sick child. Spread a Smile includes siblings as much as possible in hospital visits and brothers and sisters are always included in the charity's outings and they are all invited to parties too.

"This party is our opportunity to say thank you to all the wonderful children and their families that we work with during the year. We want to give them a party to remember, to put a smile on all their faces and to spoil them rotten for a few hours of excitement, entertainers and activities", says Vanessa Crocker, co-founder of Spread a Smile.

One of the guests, nine-year-old Jess Walker, who has had Neuroblastoma since she was three, will be at the party with her brother and sister. Jess has been in and out of hospital for three years and has got to know some of the Spread a Smile entertainers very well.

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Jess Walker with two of the Spread a Smile fairies at a recent event

Jess' grandmother, Louise, who will be bringing Jess and her brother and sister to the party says:"We are very grateful for everything Spread a Smile does for us all. When they visit Jess in hospital or we go on an outing it makes life a bit more bearable. Spread a Smile does so much for us as a family and always makes the other two children feel part of it all. By including siblings, it takes the focus off Jess and makes them feel important and cared for too. This means that they can create happy memories together and get some quality time as a family."

The event, organised by the Spread a Smile team, has been funded by donations from many London companies and small businesses including Lawsons, Lola's Cupcakes, Marriott Hotels and other donors that have generously helped make this an incredibly exciting and fun afternoon of entertainment.

"Some of our children are seriously ill and have had a very difficult year and many face an uncertain year ahead. We hope the party will be an exciting and fun experience for the children, their siblings and family. There is often none or little respite for both the ill child and the relentlessness of living with a long term serious illness can be gruelling for everyone in the family. We hope the party brings some sparkle and fun to lift everyone's spirits and create a memorable experience for all the families", says Josephine Segal, one of the co-founders of the charity.

Ends

 

www.spreadasmile.org

Spread a Smile is a registered as charity no: 1152205 

51 Chalk Farm Road

London NW1 8AN

 

For further information, jpegs, interviews and quotes please contact: Caroline Ratner, Caroline Ratner Communications 020 8209 0120/07976 765453caroline@carolinecomms.com

 

Notes to editors

Spread a Smile takes entertainers including fairies, magicians, pirates, children's characters, musicians, singers, face painters and poets and Cassie the therapy dog into children and teenage wards at Great Ormond Street Hospital, University College Hospital and The Royal London Hospital. Each year the charity entertains approximately 3,000 children.