Britain’s Got Talent winner packs hampers bringing festive joy to seriously ill children

Lance Corporal Richard Jones, 2016 Britain’s Got Talent winner, is an ambassador for Spread a Smile, a London charity supporting seriously ill children in NHS hospitals and hospices. Richard is one of nearly 600 volunteers packing hampers for the children this year.

Planning for the Christmas hampers began back in May, with Spread a Smile aiming to pack 1,750 gifts by mid-December. The volunteers are putting in over 115 hours of work to get the hampers ready.

Richard has been involved with the charity for two years, visiting children to perform magic tricks. He said: "When I was invited the first time, that’s when I realised how powerful a smile can be for a seriously ill child.”

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For Richard, watching the children light up during his visits is deeply meaningful. He shared: "When children and their families are in hospitals, they’re going through incredibly tough times. Spread a Smile gives them something special to look forward to, and when our team comes around, they get genuinely excited because they know they’re in for some fun with our entertainers."

He added: "The happiness lingers long after our visit, giving families something positive to talk about and helping them forget their worries, even if only for a little while. I think it makes a big difference in everyone’s experience."

Sometimes Richard is recognized during these visits, especially by fans of his Britain’s Got Talent days. He said: "It makes my day if they’re fans, because I’m only in the position I’m in thanks to the kindness of strangers.”

One ambassador for Spread a Smile is Varun Mahatme, who met the charity after being diagnosed with cancer at age 11. He shared: "I first met Spread a Smile ten years ago when I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer in my spine. During my first week in the hospital, after a difficult night where a young girl on my ward passed away, the charity brought Magic Martin to visit. They instantly lifted my spirits and took my mind off everything!"

He added: "Throughout my treatment, Spread a Smile continued to be there for me, inviting me to Christmas parties and even The Lion King. Now, as a young ambassador, I hope to share my experience to help other children and families facing similar challenges and to encourage support for the charity."

Varun believes that while the charity can’t cure illness, it offers essential mental health support. He said: "I truly believe having a good prognosis is about both medicine and mental health.”

Lucy Jackson, Spread a Smile’s CEO, said the charity is going all out for Christmas this year. She said: “Christmas can be a particularly hard time for seriously ill children, so we’re sending them hampers full of anything a child would enjoy.”

Each hamper is personalised for the child receiving it, with siblings getting a box too. Lucy added: "We know siblings can be deeply affected by having a seriously ill brother or sister.”

Spread a Smile started in 2013 after the nephew of one of the co-founders was diagnosed with cancer. A visit from a magician lifted his spirits, and the charity was born from a promise to bring joy to more children.

To learn more or donate, visit Spread a Smile’s website.

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