What Spread a Smile does

Spread a Smile is a UK-registered charity (Charity Commission No. 1152205) and company limited by guarantee (Company No. 08443236) founded in April 2013 by Josephine Segal and Vanessa Crocker. The organisation delivers professional entertainment visits — including magicians, musicians, singers, fairies, storytellers, artists, and PAT-certified therapy dogs — directly to the bedsides of seriously ill children across 39 NHS hospitals and 6 hospice partners, supplemented by virtual visits delivered through the SMILE TV video platform (built on a standard Kaltura MediaSpace instance) and a calendar of family outings and events. In 2025-26 the charity reported delivery of over 18,411 in-person bedside visits and 2,860 virtual visits, up from 13,200 bedside visits in 2024-25.

The operating model is funded entirely through philanthropic income across five streams: individual donations, corporate partnerships, trust and foundation grants, challenge-event fundraising, and the Smile Shop e-commerce platform which sells Smile Gift donation tiers (Therapy Dog Visit £30, Virtual Visit £43, Smile Party £148). The charity explicitly states it receives no statutory funding. Distribution is delivered through direct partnerships with NHS hospital play teams, the SMILE TV virtual channel, and event-based family programmes such as the Winter Party 2026. A newer programme, the Intensive Care Library Project launched for World Book Day 2025, has placed 20 libraries holding over 2,000 books across 15 NHS hospital partners.

The organisation is led by Chief Executive Lucy Jackson, with co-founders Josephine Segal and Vanessa Crocker, an 11–50 person team, and a Board of Trustees including Edward Gordon-Hall (CEO of Druces LLP) and Andrew Bloom (CEO of Masthaven, a long-standing corporate partner since 2019). Headquarters are in London at Uncommon, 25 Horsell Road, N5 1XL, with a registered office in Hemel Hempstead. Corporate partnerships include SCOR (renewed for a further two years in April 2026), Children with Cancer UK, BC Partners, Pets as Therapy, and GamesAid. The charity was recognised in The Big Issue's Top 100 Changemakers of 2026 and operates a UK-only footprint.

Name

Spread a Smile

Legal name

Spread a Smile Ltd

Website

https://spreadasmile.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Spread a Smile is a UK charity, founded in 2013, that delivers professional entertainer visits, therapy dogs, virtual sessions, family outings, and intensive care libraries to seriously ill children across 39 NHS hospitals and 6 hospices, funded entirely through donations, corporate partnerships, trusts and foundations, and challenge events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Hospital Charity Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

Keywords

• Children's hospital entertainment
• Pediatric wellbeing services
• Charitable hospital visits
• Virtual entertainment sessions
• Family support programs

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals to support the charity's work bringing entertainment to seriously ill children. Includes one-time and recurring donation options.
2. Smile Shop Gifts: The Smile Shop sells virtual gift experiences (Therapy Dog Visit £30, Hospital Visit, Virtual Visit £43, Smile Party £148) in lieu of physical gifts for special occasions, with £2.95 added for greetings card and postage.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners sponsor events, fundraising challenges, and ongoing charity support. Includes long-standing partners like Masthaven (since 2019), SCOR (renewed for 2 years), and event sponsors.
4. Trust and Foundation Funding: Grants from trusts and foundations including multi-year funding. The charity states it receives no statutory funding, making these partnerships crucial for sustainability.
5. Challenge Events Participation: Individuals and corporate teams raise funds through challenge events such as the National Three Peaks Challenge, London Marathon, Royal Parks Half Marathon, and Norway treks.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Spread a Smile is a registered UK charity that delivers in-person and virtual entertainment visits to seriously ill children receiving treatment in NHS hospitals and hospices. Services include bedside visits from magicians, musicians, artists, fairies, storytellers, and therapy dogs, supplemented by outings, art initiatives, virtual sessions via SMILE TV, and an Intensive Care Library Project. All services are provided free of charge to families and hospitals, funded entirely through donations, corporate partnerships, trust grants, and fundraising events.

Product overview

Spread a Smile is a charitable organization offering a portfolio of entertainment and wellbeing services for seriously ill children in UK NHS hospitals and hospices. The core offering consists of in-person entertainer visits (magicians, musicians, artists, fairies, storytellers, therapy dogs), virtual visits via SMILE TV, and outings/events. The Smile Shop provides an e-commerce donation platform where supporters purchase 'Smile Gifts' (Therapy Dog Visit at £30, Virtual Visit at £43, Smile Party at £148) in lieu of traditional gifts. Additional programs include the Intensive Care Library Project providing books to hospital partners. In 2025-26, the organization delivered over 18,411 in-person bedside visits and 2,860 virtual visits across 39 NHS hospitals and 6 hospice partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Entertainer Hospital Visits In-person bedside visits by professional entertainers (magicians, musicians, artists, fairies, storytellers) to bring joy and distraction to seriously ill children during long hospital stays.
• Virtual Visits Online entertainment sessions delivered via video allowing children to enjoy performances and interactions from their hospital bed or home, offered as a Smile Gift donation option priced at £43.
• Therapy Dog Visits Bedside visits from PAT-certified therapy dogs providing comfort, cuddles and emotional support to seriously ill children, offered as a Smile Gift donation option priced at £30.
• Smile Party Virtual birthday celebration funded through donation, providing entertainment chosen by the child (fairy visits, singing, music or magic sessions), with personalised card delivery, priced at £148 plus £2.95 for card and postage.
• Smile Gift Hospital Visit Donation enabling an entertainer to visit a seriously ill child at their hospital bedside, providing moments of joy and distraction in lieu of a physical gift for special occasions.
• Outings and Events Special day trips and events including theatre visits, Summer and Winter parties, and shared experiences outside the hospital environment for seriously ill children and their families.
• Art Initiatives Creative art activities and programs that engage children in artistic expression during hospital stays, supporting emotional wellbeing and providing distraction.
• Smile TV Virtual entertainment platform providing on-demand video content including performances, storytelling, and entertainment for children in hospital, built on Kaltura Mediaspace technology.
• Intensive Care Library Project Program providing dedicated book libraries within NHS hospital partners for families with children receiving intensive and high dependency care, offering 2,000+ books across 20 libraries at 15 NHS hospital partners.
• Smile Shop Online donation platform offering 'Smile Gifts' - meaningful donations in lieu of traditional gifts for special occasions including Therapy Dog Visit (£30), Virtual Visit (£43), Hospital Visit, and Smile Party (£148) with greetings card and postage for £2.95.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of healthcare professionals surveyed said Spread a Smile visits have a positive impact on patients' mental health and wellbeing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MasthavencoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 June 2026Long-standing corporate partner since 2019. Masthaven CEO Andrew Bloom is also a Spread a Smile Trustee. The team of 14 colleagues completed the National Three Peaks Challenge, climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon within 24 hours, raising £15,100 for the charity.
• SCORcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 April 2026Renewed charity partnership for a further two years. SCOR colleagues have volunteered time and talents, helping in the office, packing Christmas Smile Hampers, and supporting family events. The partnership has enabled entertainers to reach thousands of seriously ill children at hospital bedsides.
• Children with Cancer UKcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to bring joy to seriously ill children and their siblings across the country through in-person and virtual entertainer visits across NHS hospitals, as well as family events including Summer and Winter parties.
• Mortlake CrematoriumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated £4,250 through a metal recycling initiative in partnership with Orthometals, where metals recovered after cremations are recycled and proceeds donated to charity.
• AboundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting the Spread a Smile Appeal 2026 with a Norway trek to Kjerag on 27 June, covering 12km of steep granite trails. 30 colleagues are participating in range of activities to support the appeal.
• BC PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Spread a Smile Winter Party 2026, which welcomed nearly 600 guests including seriously ill children and their families.
• Derwent LondonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of gifts for the Winter Party 2026.
• LMGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of entertainers for the Winter Party 2026.
• GamesAidminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUK charity bringing together games industry to support smaller charities helping disadvantaged, disabled and seriously ill children. Spread a Smile was nominated for funding consideration.
• St Faith's TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided donation to fund visits to seriously ill children in Surrey hospitals.
• Corinthia LondonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted a special Easter Tea Party for 80 guests, providing the Ballroom venue and support for a family celebration with entertainment, crafts, and afternoon tea.
• Lola's CupcakesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides delicious treats for hospital visits and special events including birthday celebrations and the Winter Party.
• Pets as Therapy (PAT)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCharity providing assessment and certification for therapy dogs. Spread a Smile has multiple PAT-certified therapy dogs including Oscar, Cassie, Donny, and Elsie who visit hospitals.
• SoHPS (Society of Health Play Specialists)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpread a Smile participated in the 3rd annual SoHPS conference, networking with play professionals and showcasing their work with Play teams across NHS hospitals.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Starlight Children's Foundation: UK charity focused on bringing play, entertainment, and distraction to seriously ill children in hospitals and hospices — the most direct operational peer to Spread a Smile in mission and delivery model.
• Rays of Sunshine Children's Charity: UK charity that grants wishes and delivers special experiences for seriously ill children, including hospital visits and events, making it a closely comparable peer to Spread a Smile's entertainment-focused model.
• Dreams Come True: UK charity that fulfils dreams and provides special experiences for seriously ill and terminally ill children — comparable in beneficiary focus, hospital-based engagement, and donor-funding model.

Broad incumbents

• Young Lives vs Cancer (formerly CLIC Sargent): Large UK charity supporting children and young people with cancer and their families — comparable beneficiary population and NHS hospital footprint but with a clinical/welfare orientation.
• Make-A-Wish UK: Large UK wish-granting charity for critically ill children; broader in scope (wishes vs. bedside entertainment) but operates within the same donor and hospital ecosystem.
• Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity: UK charity funding pediatric nurses and hospital services for seriously ill children; comparable beneficiary base and NHS hospital engagement but focused on clinical support rather than entertainment.
• Together for Short Lives: UK charity for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, including hospice support — closely aligned with the hospice-partner side of Spread a Smile's work.

Others

• Children with Cancer UK: Listed as an active GTM/charity partner of Spread a Smile supporting in-person and virtual visits to seriously ill children; adjacent funder rather than competitor in the pediatric serious-illness charity ecosystem.
• Pets as Therapy (PAT): UK charity that assesses and certifies therapy dogs, including Spread a Smile's visiting dogs (Oscar, Cassie, Donny, Elsie); an enabling ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.

Regional players

• The Children's Hospital Charity (Sheffield): Regional UK charity raising funds for a single children's hospital; comparable in NHS hospital partnership model and donor base but limited to one geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/spreadasmileuk
• Facebookfacebook.com/spreadasmileuk

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Spread a Smile