Crayola has joined forces with Spread a Smile to help fund much needed in-person arts initiatives to children during their hospital stay.
Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon visits children at St Mary’s Hospital in London with the Spread a Smile charity.
Spread a Smile is a charity close to Vivid/Goliath’s heart, it brings joy and hope to seriously ill children in hospitals, hospices and homes across the UK by organising bedside and digital entertainment for thousands of children. From magicians to face-painters, musicians, fairies and therapy dogs, the charity generates moments of distraction and excitement, helping young patients and their families to face their significant health challenges with optimism and positivity.
Starting later this month, Crayola has joined forces to help fund much needed in person arts initiatives to children during their hospital stay.
“We know from the pandemic just how therapeutic art is, and our passion at Crayola is to raise creatively inspired kids,” said senior brand manager, Jade Childs. “The partnership with Spread a Smile resonates so strongly with our values, and we are delighted to be able to offer this incredible charity much needed funding and extensive product to support its wonderful art sessions for children at their bedsides”.
Crayola will be donating hundreds of Colour Pencils, SuperTips and Crayons over the next 10 months and is looking forward to volunteering as a team later in the year, to help the charity pack and distribute Christmas presents to patients.
“Art is important in every child’s development. It encourages children to express their creativity, develop motor skills and heightens their ability to communicate and problem solve,” explained Lucy Jackson, Spread a Smile chief executive. For children in hospital, art related projects and activities provide a welcome distraction from treatment and the hospital environment. This is why we are so excited to be working in partnership with Crayola to deliver even more art initiatives to seriously ill children and their siblings across our hospital partners. Thank you to everyone at Crayola for their generosity, creativity and enthusiasm – we’re looking forward to working together and seeing imaginations engaged through art.”
Alesha Dixon, who has supported the charity for many years, recently visited children at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington with Crayola. “You could see that, once the children were immersed with the fairy and art activities, they were immediately relaxed and distracted from their pain and treatment,” Alesha commented. “I was glad I could be there too, to spread some smiles and see the Spread a Smile team doing what it’s so good at”.
