LIAM Conlon, the MP for Beckenham and Penge, joined Lucy Jackson, Spread a Smile CEO, on a visit to King’s College Hospital, where he met some of the children and families that Spread a Smile supports and saw their work first-hand.
Spread a Smile works in partnership with the Play Team at King’s College Hospital to spread smiles, bring joy, entertainment, and moments of respite. During the visit, Mr Conlon met with young patients, their families, and NHS staff and witnessed first-hand the powerful impact of the charity’s in-hospital entertainers. On the day we were joined by Collette, a Spread a Smile singer, and Nick, a magician.
Mr Conlon’s visit was particularly poignant given his personal connection to the NHS. As a teenager, he spent several years undergoing treatment at the Royal London Hospital and Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital following a serious accident at age 13.
While it is not the hospital where Liam was treated, King’s College Hospital treats hundreds of his constituents in Beckenham and Penge every year. Mr Conlon said the experience of visiting another children’s ward was ‘important to him.’
He said:
“Today’s visit was very special to me because it is personal. I spent years growing up on NHS children’s wards as a teenager after an accident at 13, and I owe so much to the NHS. And whilst children’s wards are in some ways a grim reality, they are also places of great hope, deep compassion, and world-class care. That is made possible by NHS staff and the people behind incredible initiatives like Spread a Smile, which will make such a difference to children and their families.
“I’m so grateful to the Spread a Smile team and the staff at King’s for the incredible work they do every single day.”
Lucy Jackson, CEO of Spread a Smile, said:
“We were honoured to welcome Liam Conlon MP to see our work in action. His personal connection to the NHS and empathy for families facing serious illness brought a powerful sense of understanding and support to the visit.
“At Spread a Smile, we know that joy and distraction are essential parts of a child’s care journey. We’re incredibly proud to work alongside the wonderful team at King’s College Hospital, bringing light and laughter to children who need it most.”
Anna Clough, Site Chief Executive at King’s College Hospital, said:
“It was wonderful to spend time with Spread a Smile and be able to show Liam Conlon MP how children and parents at King’s benefit from the joy and laughter that Spread a Smile entertainers always bring. Hospital stays can be particularly difficult for children receiving care, as well as their families, and the charity’s work makes a huge difference.
“The whole Spread a Smile team is so enthusiastic about helping our younger patients and their families have a happy, positive experience in hospital, even in the toughest of times, and we are always grateful for the time they spend on our wards.”
Spread a Smile currently partners with 39 NHS hospitals and six hospices across the UK, delivering in-person and virtual entertainment. Their partnership with King’s started in January 2020, and they currently make three visits a month to the hospital and have plans to increase this in the coming months.
