Children’s bereavement charity, Once Upon a Smile, marked a significant milestone in spectacular style as supporters gathered for its headline fundraising event, The Grand Ball, celebrating 15 years of supporting bereaved children and families.

Hosted at the iconic Emirates Old Trafford by charity Co-Founders Danny Miller (Emmerdale, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!) and Daniel Jillings (Coronation Street), the evening was a heartfelt celebration of everything the charity has achieved since its founding, while raising vital funds to support its work for years to come.

Guests enjoyed an unforgettable evening of live entertainment, powerful performances, and inspiring moments, with appearances from East 17, Newton Faulkner, Louisa Johnson, The Trilogies, Martin Cooper, Rock Choir, Freedom Performing Arts, Liv Harland and Michelle Platinum, formerly of H2O. The night was filled with joy, reflection, and a shared commitment to making a difference for grieving families.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of guests, sponsors, partners and volunteers, the event raised over £49,000! Every pound raised will directly support bereaved children and young people through specialist tailored support sessions delivered at Sidley House, the North West’s only dedicated child bereavement centre.

Since being founded in 2011, Once Upon a Smile has supported thousands of children, young people and families navigating the death of a loved one, with referrals continuing to rise year on year. The charity remains committed to providing a safe, nurturing space where children can express their emotions, build coping strategies, and find hope for the future.

Once Upon a Smile extends heartfelt thanks to headline partners Sprayed Concrete Solutions and Roydon, event partners Leasing Options and TRM, alongside its loyal volunteers, supporters and wider event team whose dedication helped make the evening such a remarkable success.

Special thanks also go to Wilf & Sadie, HireRequirements, Green Contract Services, Hickling & Squires, Choc Nibbles and Think!, for their incredible support.

As Once Upon a Smile celebrates 15 years of making a difference, the charity looks ahead with renewed ambition, continuing to provide vital bereavement support and ensuring every grieving child has access to the care they need.

See the reactions video first shown at the Grand Ball made by Co-Founders of the charity, reflecting on 15 years of Once Upon a Smile below.

More than 2,000 spectators came together for a deeply moving and memorable day as two incredible families supported by Once Upon a Smile hosted a special charity football match against Wythenshawe Vets. This was to raise vital awareness and support for bereaved children and families.

In a game played in glorious sunshine and an atmosphere filled with warmth and community spirit, Wythenshawe Vets secured an 8–1 win. Yet the result was secondary to what was truly a powerful celebration of generosity, remembrance, and togetherness.

The match brought together an extraordinary mix of footballing talent and well-loved faces from screen and sport. Fans were treated to appearances from football legends John O’Shea, Stephen Ireland, and Wes Brown, who all gave their time generously in support of the cause.

They were joined by actors, including James Hooton and Joe-Warren Plant, adding to the sense of occasion and helping create a day filled with smiles, memories, and heartfelt moments both on and off the pitch.

Once Upon a Smile and the families who organised this event extend their deepest thanks to all the players, volunteers, sponsors and supporters who helped make the day such a powerful success. A day defined not by the scoreline, but by community coming together.

The Once Upon a Smile Celebrity Team is back for one match only this April, taking on the Wythenshawe Vets in a special charity fixture held in memory of Isaac and Ellis.

The Wythenshawe Vets squad features an impressive line-up of former professional footballers, including Papiss Cissé, Danny Drinkwater, Stephen Ireland and Emile Heskey, among others.

Leading the Once Upon a Smile side are Co-Captains and charity founders Danny Miller and Daniel Jillings, who are bringing together a strong team of celebrity friends, footballers and influencers. The match promises a competitive and entertaining game, all in support of raising vital funds for Once Upon a Smile as the charity marks its 15th year supporting bereaved children and families.

Confirmed players for the Once Upon a Smile team include Emmerdale stars Joe-Warren Plant, Jay Kontzle and James Hooton, alongside This Is England actor Tom Turgoose.

They will be joined by former Premier League players including Wes Brown, John O’Shea, Glenn Whelan and Chris Eagles, with more names to be announced.

This special event has been organised by two incredible families in memory of Isaac and Ellis. Both families have been supported by Once Upon a Smile, and their strength and generosity in sharing their journey has made this event possible, alongside the support of Altrincham F.C..

The match promises to be an unmissable occasion, with a range of pre- and post-match entertainment for supporters of all ages to enjoy.

UPDATED-April 2026 players listings:

FULL LINE UP:

Once Upon a Smile XI

• Rod Thornley
• John O’Shea
• Darren Gibson
• Carlo Nash
• Danny Webber
• Wes Brown
• Glen Whelan
• Stu Coburn
• Chris Eagles
• Dale Stephens
• Darren Fletcher
• Frank Sinclair
• James Hooton – Emmerdale
• Daniel Jillings -Coronation Street
• Joe-Warren Plant – Emmerdale
• Jay Kontzle – Emmerdale
• Tom Law – Eastenders
• Influencer-Harry Cain

Wythenshawe Vets 

• Kieran Westwood
• Joleon Lescott
• Danny Simpson
• Danny Drinkwater
• Stephen Ireland
• Maynor Figueroa
• Papiss Cisse
• George Boyd
• James Chester
• Nedum Onuaha
• Paul McShane
• Mark Albrigton
• Corey Evans
• Oumar Niasse
• David Norris

Tickets are available now from Altrincham Football Club – Altrincham FC

Or click the BOOK NOW button below.

Businesses interested in supporting the event are encouraged to get in touch.

Press enquiries: [email protected]

This year marks a very special milestone for Once Upon a Smile, as the charity celebrates 15 years of supporting bereaved children and families across Greater Manchester. As the only dedicated child bereavement centre in the North West, the charity has been providing a safe space for children to express their feelings, explore emotions, and begin to make sense of experiences that can be difficult even for adults.

To celebrate this landmark year, Once Upon a Smile is delighted to announce the generous business partners supporting the 15th Anniversary Grand Ball, an evening dedicated to raising vital funds for the children and families the charity supports.

Partners for the Grand Ball include:

• Headline Partner: Sprayed Concrete Solutions and Roydon Group
• Event Partners: Leasing Options
• Instant Win Partner: TRM Domestics

And a huge thanks to: Sadie Sumner, Green Contract Services, Think! design, Hickling & Squires and the team at Choc Nibbles.

The Grand Ball will take place on Saturday 9th May at the iconic The Point at Emirates Old Trafford. Guests can expect an evening of entertainment, delicious food, laughter, and the opportunity to take part in a raffle and auction with incredible prizes. Tickets are £120 per person, including an arrival drinks reception, a three-course meal, and entertainment throughout. Limited seats are available.

Our newsletter is back this Spring. This issue is full of updates, stories, and exciting news about what’s been happening at Sidley House and sharing how we support bereaved children and their families. You’ll find a warm welcome from our team, a spotlight on one of our amazing supporters, and a sneak peek at upcoming events-including our 15th anniversary Grand Ball, a brand new Golf Day and more! Most importantly, it shows the difference your kindness makes for bereaved children and families every single day. Thank you for your support.

We’re delighted to announce the success of our annual Christmas Ball, which brought together supporters, sponsors, volunteers and performers for an unforgettable afternoon in support of bereaved children and their families.

The festive event raised much-needed funds to help us continue providing emotional and practical support to families following the death of a loved one across Greater Manchester. Guests enjoyed a magical day filled with entertainment, generosity and community.

We were honoured to be supported by a range of talented acts who helped make the event so special, including Jane Relph, Elm Arts Company, Kelly Llorenna and Manchester band The Middletones, whose performances kept guests entertained throughout. We also had the wonderful magician Daniel Maze and Santa providing laughter and fun during the event.

A massive thank you to the the dedicated volunteers who gave their time and energy in the preparation to the delivery on the day and to our friends at Mercure Piccadilly, Think!, Green Contract Services, Hickling & Squires and KeyTeq.

The event raised £16,600!

Dan Jillings, CEO of Once Upon a Smile, said:

“The Christmas Ball was a powerful reminder of the kindness and compassion within our community. We are deeply grateful to everyone who attended, sponsored, volunteered, donated, and performed. The funds raised will make a real difference, allowing us to continue supporting children and families during some of the most difficult times of their lives.”

As we reflect on the year, we want to take a moment to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported Once Upon a Smile throughout 2025. Your kindness, generosity and belief in our work truly mean so much to us, and we are incredibly grateful to have you as part of the Once Upon a Smile family.

Every day, our mission remains the same: to provide support to children, young people and families following the death of a loved one. With your support, we have continued to offer safe, welcoming spaces and specialist support that help children feel understood, supported and less alone during some of the most difficult times in their lives.

This year has been one of growth and impact. Together, we have delivered thousands of support sessions for children and young people, continued to offer bereavement support to all primary schools across Greater Manchester, and expanded the activities and spaces available at Sidley House to better meet the needs of the families we support. We have also been proud to see our work recognised locally, reflecting the dedication and compassion of our small but mighty team.

2025 also saw the exciting launch of our refreshed brand. This rebrand, created by our friends at Think!, helped us better reflect the heart of our work and the families we support. We were incredibly proud that this work received two gold design awards, recognising the impact and quality of what was delivered.

None of this would be possible without you. These achievements are a direct reflection of your compassion, encouragement and trust in what we do.

Looking ahead, 2026 marks a very special milestone as we celebrate 15 years of Once Upon a Smile. To mark this occasion, we have an exciting range of events and activities planned throughout the year, and we would love for you to get involved and celebrate alongside us.

Thank you for standing alongside us and for helping us make a meaningful difference to the lives of children and families when they need it most. We are so grateful for your continued support and look forward to sharing more stories of impact with you in the year ahead.

From all of us at Once Upon a Smile, thank you once again.

Danny & Dan
Co-Founders, Once Upon a Smile

Watch this powerful video and help raise awareness-share it with your school, colleagues, and community to support children navigating grief.

Created by a young person supported by our bereavement team at Once Upon a Smile, the video shares their personal experience to highlight how schools can better support children and young people after the death of a loved one.

This young person’s message is a powerful reminder of how much kindness and understanding matter. His experience invites us to listen, learn, and continue building schools where every bereaved child feels seen, supported, and cared for.

We would like to thank all the schools and educators who continue to make a difference every day through their care, empathy, and commitment to supporting bereaved children and Once Upon a Smile.

For more information and for resources on how we support schools, please click the button below.

As Christmas approaches, we are asking our community to come together and support children and young people facing the heartbreak of life after the death of a loved one.

This time of year can be especially difficult for the families we support. At our dedicated bereavement centre in Trafford, we provide a safe, welcoming space where children can explore their emotions through play, creativity and conversation, helping them rebuild confidence and find moments of comfort when they need it most.

A brand-new downloadable Christmas resource has been created to help you easily get involved-whether you’re fundraising at work, organising a festive challenge, or simply spreading awareness online. Every action helps us be there for families when it matters most.

If you would like to make a donation instead, please click the donate button.

Thank you so much for your continued support.

We’re delighted to share the second edition of our Once Upon a Smile Newsletter!

This issue is full of updates, stories, and exciting news about what’s been happening at Sidley House and our impact this year. You’ll find a warm welcome from our team, a spotlight on one of our amazing supporters, and a sneak peek at upcoming events-including our Christmas Ball.

Most importantly, it shows the difference your kindness makes for bereaved children and families every single day. Thank you for your support.

Enjoy!