Words by Abi Scaife
At Smiley Movement, we are big fans of AJ and Curtis Pritchard - and not just for their dancing.
Inspired by what they saw at the Smiley Charity Film Awards last year, AJ and Curtis wanted to join us in celebrating and highlighting charities across the UK - and we’ve filmed all the heartwarming, and often hilarious, content just for you.
The first stop on their charity tour is Haven House Children's Hospice - Supported by The Harry Kane Foundation. Haven House provides incredible and necessary care for children who are sick, as well as respite care for families.
In the video, AJ and Curtis spend a day at the Haven House facility, playing and dancing with some of the children and young people who spend time there and meeting nurses and carers. They were able to explore what makes Haven House so important to the families that rely on its care and understand what having such a caring facility means to them.
Haven House has recently announced its Miles for Smiles Challenge - asking people to commit to walking 10,000 steps every day in February 2024, to help raise funds for the hospice.
Among those taking part is England Captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane. Harry Kane, who is an ambassador for Haven House, is helping them to reach their target of £60,000.
“I have been supporting Haven House’s incredible work for many years and have seen the positive impact the hospice has on children and families in need when they face the toughest times,” said Harry. “Haven House is there at every step to support their mental health.”
Together with Harry Kane, Haven House is asking everyone to get their family and friends involved - whether bringing them along on their walks or just asking them to donate.
Any money raised from the Miles for Smiles campaign will go towards helping Haven House continue to provide vital emotional, psychological, well-being and therapeutic care in a safe environment.
Smiley Movement and the original Smiley brand will also be supporting the campaign with bespoke t-shirts featuring the Smiley logo. Once you have raised over £200 you will unlock the t-shirt, completely free!
To sign up for the Miles for Smiles Challenge, follow this link.
AJ and Curtis will be visiting a whole host of other charities over the coming weeks, including Grief Encounter, the RSPCA, and the RNLI (lifejacket fashion, anyone?). Keep an eye on our socials to be the first to know when these are released!
Haven House Children’s Hospice was a finalist in the Smiley Charity Film Awards 2023 - and if you can’t wait to see AJ and Curtis’ visit, you can check out their entry here.
You can now vote for your favourite charity films - follow this link to the Smiley Charity Film Awards website to browse the films and support the one you love!
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Create. Create is the UK's leading charity empowering lives, reducing isolation and enhancing wellbeing through the creative arts. Support them here.
Save The Children UK. Save the Children is a UK charity for children that works in over 100 countries to make sure children are fed, learning and treated fairly. Learn more here.
Barnardo’s. This is a children's charity that protects and supports children and young people in the UK who need them. Find out more here.
This article aligns with the UN SDG Partnerships for the Goals.
