This year’s Once Upon a Smile Christmas Ball, held at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly, was a spectacular success, bringing together over 250 guests for an afternoon of celebration, entertainment, and charitable giving. Guests enjoyed a glamorous afternoon with fine dining, festive cheer, and a shared sense of community.

The charity was set up by best friends and actors Danny Miller (Emmerdale) and Daniel Jillings (Coronation Street) in 2011 after recognising a significant gap in support for families following the death of a loved one, particularly for those grieving the death of a parent, child, or sibling or grandparent. Their commitment to providing both emotional and practical support has since helped countless children, and their families navigate their bereavement journey.

This charity event hosted by the co-founders featured breathtaking performances from talented artists, including the incredible Holly Ellison of The Voice, whose stunning vocals captivated the audience. Guests were also treated to the uplifting harmonies of the Rock Choir, the high-energy routines of Powerhouse Cheerleading, and a soulful set by the talented Jack Curley.

One of the most moving moments of the evening was a heartfelt speech by Mel, a parent who has been supported by Once Upon a Smile. Speaking alongside her young children, Mel courageously shared their family’s experience of the death of a loved one and the profound impact of the charity’s support. Her powerful words deeply resonated with attendees, highlighting the importance of the charity’s work in helping families through their most challenging times.

Thanks to the generosity of attendees, the event raised vital funds to help the charity continue its invaluable work, supporting bereaved children and young people.

This year’s event raised over £18,100.

Watch our Christmas Ball 2024 video below!

Audenshaw’s Christmas House Shines Bright to Support Children’s Bereavement Charity, Once Upon a Smile.

This holiday season, Audenshaw’s iconic “Christmas House” is lighting up once again, not only to bring festive cheer but also to support a cause close to many hearts. The extraordinary holiday light display at the beloved “Christmas House” is raising funds to support Once Upon a Smile, a Greater Manchester charity dedicated to providing essential emotional and practical support to bereaved children and families.

The family behind “Christmas House” has been transforming their home into a magical winter wonderland for years, delighting locals and visitors alike with twinkling lights, festive decorations, and a range of holiday-inspired displays. This year, they are inviting the community to enjoy the spectacle while helping raise funds for children’s bereavement charity Once Upon a Smile. They offer unique, comforting support to children and young people following the death of a loved one.

Based in Trafford, Once Upon a Smile operates the only child bereavement centre in the North West designed by children they support. Sidley House features specially designed rooms, including a cinema, arts and crafts space, and more, providing children with a safe environment to express emotions and explore their imaginations. Funds raised from Christmas House will directly support these efforts, helping ensure that grieving children and their families continue to have access to Once Upon a Smile’s compassionate support.

“The Christmas House is a fantastic example of community spirit, and we’re incredibly grateful for the support. The funds raised through this event will go a long way in helping us provide vital support to children and families facing the most challenging times. We hope everyone who visits the Christmas House feels the warmth of both the season and the difference they’re helping to make.” – Dan Jillings, Charity Co-Founder

How to Visit and Donate

The “Christmas House” at in Audenshaw, M34 5EW will be open to visitors from Friday 29^th November till the New Year. Entry is free, but visitors are encouraged to donate through cash donations on-site or via an online link.

Come join the Audenshaw community in celebrating the festive season while making a meaningful difference in the lives of bereaved children and families.

For the enjoyment and safety of visitors to the Christmas House, please make sure to park away from the attraction.

We are thrilled to announce that we have been recognised at the This is Manchester Awards, winning “Organisation Making a Difference in the Community.”

This award celebrates our continued dedication to supporting bereaved families and providing vital emotional and practical support to children and young people during the most challenging times in their lives.

Winning this ‘Organisation makes a difference’ award is a testament to the hard work, passion and commitment of our team, volunteers and supporters. Together, we’ve created a space where families can find hope, healing and a brighter future.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported our charity, from our incredible staff to our supporters and donors who make our work possible. This recognition belongs to all of you.

Let’s continue making a difference-together.

Last week, Trafford Palazzo was buzzing with excitement as our charity hosted two spectacular events: our Once Upon a Smile Birthday Party and a high-energy Nerf Corporate Event. The venue was transformed into a hub of joy, laughter, and unforgettable moments, making it a day to remember.

Once Upon a Smile Birthday Party

The Birthday Party was a heartwarming celebration aimed at bringing smiles to the faces of children and families visiting the centre. The event was filled with fun activities, from craft activities to interactive games, ensuring that everyone had a great time.

A highlight of the party was the appearance of mascots of the charity and Trafford Palazzo Sidley and Maximus.

 

Sidley and Maximus Dancing Competition

Adding an extra layer of excitement to the day was a dance competition between Sidley and Maximus. Sidley the bear is known for his charisma and dance prowess, paired up with Maximus, The Trafford Palazzo bear. They created great entertainment for children and their families. Sidley managed to pip Maximus to become winner of the dance competition!

Nerf Corporate Event

On the corporate side, our Nerf Action Xperience event was a hit, offering a unique and engaging team-building experience. Employees from various companies came together to participate in exhilarating Nerf battles as part of our birthday celebrations. The event offered players different zones for competitive play, obstacle courses, and strategic planning sessions.

 

Congratulations to team Cargill for winning overall team!

The combination of the Once Upon a Smile Birthday Party and the Nerf Corporate Event made for an amazing day at Trafford Palazzo. The events provided a great start to our month of celebrations which will help raise vital funds to support our work.

We’ve been shortlisted!

We were also delighted to be told that we have been shortlisted for the Trafford Palazzo charity of the year. VOTE HERE

A huge thank you to everyone involved in particular Trafford Palazzo, Nerf Action Xperience, our volunteers, kind donations from KeyTeq, Taste & See and Café Sorrel and our guests.

We are delighted to announce that Aspire Scientific is now part of our Corporate Partnership Family.

Aspire Scientific, a leading medical writing and communications agency, will be partnering with us over the next 12 months. This collaboration will greatly enhance our ability to provide tailored practical and emotional support to bereaved children and their families.

Throughout the partnership, the agency will engage in a range of fundraising activities and help raise awareness of our charity.

“We are thrilled that the team at Aspire Scientific is joining our family. We are excited to work with them and are truly grateful for their support.” – Dan Jillings, Co-Founder & CEO of Once Upon a Smile

We extend our heartfelt thanks for their support and for choosing Once Upon a Smile as their charity of choice. We look forward to a fruitful partnership ahead!

Children and their parents often worry that they will forget things about loved ones who have died. But after a death there are many ways that children and families can remember loved ones.

Parents of Once Upon a Smile have come up with 10 ways to remember loved ones on special days:

1. Visit the grave or the place where their ashes are buried or scattered
2. Listen to their favourite music
3. Make a memory box
4. Have their favourite meal
5. Write a special message on a helium balloon and let it go into the sky
6. Write a letter or a poem
7. Light a candle
8. Share memories with family members
9. Plant a tree or a flower in their memory
10. Look over photos and remember the happy times shared

They did it! Last month, (June) a group of dedicated colleagues from Phillips & Cohen Associates (PCA) took on the Edale Skyline hike in support of Once Upon a Smile. The team, composed of 7 colleagues from their Liverpool and Manchester offices, successfully completed the challenging 20km route with an overall elevation gain of 889m.

The hike offered not only stunning views of the Peak District, thanks to perfect weather conditions, but also a fantastic team-building experience and raising funds for our charity. What was lovely was that the more experienced hikers lent a hand to their teammates, ensuring everyone could enjoy the journey and complete the hike together.

They even topped off their fabulous fundraising by hosting a bake sale in their offices near Media City on the Monday! How fabulous is that!

Congratulations and thank you to the PCA team for their incredible effort and commitment to making a difference!

Leasing Options, a leading vehicle leasing company, recently organised a golf day and also took part in walking Snowdon as part of fundraising activities to support Once Upon a Smile.

The business have been loyal charity partners of our charity and are always taking on new challenges and attending fundraising activities to help raise vital funds needed.

Here are two recent examples:

Golf Day Success

The golf day took place at a prestigious local golf club, attracting both amateur and seasoned golfers. Participants enjoyed a day of friendly competition, with various prizes awarded for the longest drive, closest to the pin, and overall team performance. The event included a raffle and auction with items generously donated by local businesses, further boosting their fundraising efforts.

Climbing Snowdon

In addition to the golf day, a small team from Leasing Options joined charity supporters to embark on a challenging hike on Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales. Despite the rigorous climb and unpredictable weather conditions, the team’s determination and camaraderie shone through, making the event a triumphant success.

Both of these amazing fundraising efforts from Leasing Options has raised over £3,000 for our charity. We’d like to say a huge thank you to these wonderful corporate supporters. -We think you are amazing, thank you for being part of our family!

Children’s bereavement charity, Once Upon a Smile put glitz and glamour yet again into their popular fundraising event-The Grand Ball.

Hosted at the Emirates Stadium by the charities Co-Founders, Danny Miller (Emmerdale, I’m a Celebrity) and Daniel Jillings (Coronation Street), guests were treated to a magical night of live performances and amazing entertainment throughout.

Performances on the night included Urban Fusion Dance, 911, The Trilogies, Somewhere from Hotten and Kelly Llorenna (of N-Trance).

With the amazing support from our guests on the evening we raised over £35,000!

Since 2011, the charity has seen a huge increase in the number of referrals for children’s bereavement support. They are the only charity in the North West with a dedicated child bereavement centre with sessions tailored to the needs of the children they support. The funds raised at this event make a huge difference to help the charity continue their support.

We thank our sponsors Videcon and Roydon Group and event partners Marc Darcy, Phillips & Cohen along with our loyal supporters, for their continued contributions which helped us immensely with the event.

And also to our volunteers and our amazing performers

• Rock Choir
• Urban Fusion Dance
• Richie Sanderson
• Somewhere Near Hotten
• The Trilogies
• 911
• Kelly Llorenna

Notes for Editors:

Once Upon a Smile provide emotional and practical support for children and families when a parent/guardian, sibling or significant person has died. The charity provides opportunities for children to understand and express their emotions in a fun and safe environment.

They have been working with children and families from across Greater Manchester and further afield, since 2011. They accept online referrals from health, education, and other organisations, as well as self-referrals.

The charity can provide a wide range of tailored activities for bereaved children such as 1:1 and group sessions at Sidley House. They have 10 tailored rooms which allow children to express and explore their emotions following the death of a loved one.

Registered charity: 1170975

Did you know you can fundraise on Instagram when sharing a story with your followers?

When creating a story on Instagram you can also add a donation button to raise funds for Once Upon a Smile. Simply head to the GIF section and click “Donation” and search @sidley_ouas.

Your friends and family can then donate to Once Upon a Smile via your story.