Award-winning actors Danny Miller (Emmerdale and winner of I’m a Celebrity) and Daniel Jillings, Co-Founders of children’s bereavement charity, Once Upon a Smile are running in Great Manchester Run this May.
Best friends, Danny and Daniel founded Once Upon a Smile in 2011, to provide emotional and practical support to bereaved families, after it became apparent that there was a lack of support for families after the death of a loved one, specifically a parent or child/sibling.

Danny and Dan smiling to camera after running the Great Manchester Run 2023

The Great Manchester Run on Sunday 26 May, is not only a chance for them to personally contribute to the charity they co-founded together but also an opportunity for the public to join in and help raise funds for Once Upon a Smile. The event not only serves as a platform to generate financial support but also will be a wonderful opportunity for them to thank supporters of the charity as they run through Manchester on the day.

We hope to raise as much as possible for our charity and appreciate any support anyone can give. We are also really looking forward to meeting other runners and supporters on the day!

Danny Miller, Co-Founder of Once Upon a Smile

I’m really excited to be taking part in this year’s Great Manchester Run with my best mate and with supporters of Once Upon a Smile joining in. We hope with their support, this will be our most successful Great Manchester Run yet!

Daniel Jillings, Co-Founder of Once Upon a Smile

You can also book your place by calling

0161 711 0339

UPDATE: One of the acts have been announced- CLICK HERE!

Bigger, better, and more spectacular than ever-The Grand Ball is back! This well coveted event for Greater Manchester children’s bereavement charity, Once Upon a Smile is their biggest events of the year- and it will not be without it’s surprises!

The charity’s co-founders, award-winning actors, Danny Miller (Emmerdale, I’m a Celebrity) and Daniel Jillings will once again host this magical event, helping to raise the vital funds the charity needs to continue their work.
Taking place on the evening of Saturday 20th April at the popular Emirates Stadium, Lancashire County Cricket Club, Trafford, guests will be treated to amazing food and drinks, with a host of non-stop entertainment and performances throughout the evening.

Previous acts to appear and announced on the night have included 5ive, BoyzLife, Kelly Llorenna (of N-Trance), Chesney Hawkes and Scouting for Girls.

There will also be an auction and raffle with some incredible prizes to be won.
It also wouldn’t be a Once Upon a Smile event without some extra sparkle on the night.

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.

This year, we are taking this event to the next level, making it BIGGER and more SPECTACULAR than ever before. We cannot wait for guests to see what we have in store! We thank our sponsors Videcon and Roydons and event partners and loyal supporters, for their continued contributions which help us immensely with the event.

Daniel Jillings, Co-Founder

Tickets are £120 per person and include an arrival drinks reception, 3-course meal and entertainment and laughter throughout.


Get your exclusive tickets today by emailing [email protected] There are limited tickets available so be sure not to miss out!

With thanks to headline sponsors Roydon Group and Videcon and sponsors Marc Darcy and Phillips & Cohen. Without their support, this event wouldn’t be possible.

Reserve tickets by calling

0161 711 0339

OUR IMPACT in 2023.

Since 2011, Once Upon a Smile has been supporting bereaved children and their families across Greater Manchester. Here’s a glimpse of what we’ve delivered in the past year:

264 Families Supported: We’ve received referrals from local authorities, schools, and self-referrals to name a few.

1710 sessions: Our dedicated team has provided personalised one-on-one support, engaging group activities, and individual assessments, ensuring every child and family receive the support they need.

We're Here For You bereavement bag with teddy and supporting information

‘We’re Here For You’ Initiative: We have reached 504 primary schools in Greater Manchester, distributing 764 bereavement bags designed for primary-aged children.

Tailored Support with No Waiting Times: Our support is tailored to each family’s unique needs, with no waiting list.

Creating Smiles Group: This offers quality time for parents and children, combating feelings of isolation post-bereavement. Last summer, 140 individuals enjoyed a day at Gulliver’s World, and during Christmas, 120 were treated to family fun at the Chill Factore.

In 2019, we proudly opened our dedicated children’s bereavement centre Sidley House in the heart of Manchester.

Our work is possible thanks to the generosity of supporters like you. If you or your business are keen on supporting a small charity making a significant impact in Greater Manchester, please get in touch!

Reach out to us and be part of something amazing!

0161 711 0339

Once Upon a Smile has done it again! Their hit Christmas charity fundraiser was back for 2023.

Co-founders on stage talking to a guest

This year’s was another unforgettable event with the charity’s co-founders and hosts of the event, Danny Miller and Daniel Jillings at the helm, who ensured the event was filled with joy and festivity for over 250 guests in attendance.
Best friends, Danny and Daniel founded Once Upon a Smile in 2011, to provide emotional and practical support to bereaved families, after it became apparent that there was a lack of support for families after the death of a loved one, specifically a parent or child/sibling.

Having taken place at The Mercure Piccadilly, guests were treated to mesmerising performances featuring one of the UK’s leading choirs the Manchester Chamber Choir, the talented King of Swing, singer Paul Pashley and the Princes of Motown, a group created by former Drifters member and X-Factor finalist, Pierre Herelle.

While enjoying these outstanding performances, there was also a delightful 3-course meal and sparking drinks, adding a touch of elegance to the festivities.

Making the event an experience, guests also were provided magical surprises throughout the day.

But that’s not all, there was also an auction and raffle helping to raise over £17,000!

Headline sponsors Roydon Group have been loyal supporters of the charity for a number of years and we also received first time sponsors, White Force Security who also supported the event helping to bring a bit of extra magic and sparkle. Daniel Jillings, Co-Founder comments:

What an amazing day. The generosity sparkled at our successful Christmas charity ball with all money raised supporting bereaved children at their time of need. We thank our wonderful guests, sponsors and partners who generously donated to help make this event our biggest Christmas event to date.

Daniel Jillings-Co Founder, Once Upon a Smile

For further information, contact:

Charlotte Brown

Corporate and Community Fundraiser

Email: [email protected]

0161 711 0339

Christmas Interest Form

If you list a sport and there’s a favourite team connected, please mention this.

We are delighted to share with you that One Consulting UK have joined our Corporate Partnership family. 

One Consulting are a Manchester based, global business who have a commitment to support positive change and transformation for their customers and their communities. This partnership will help us to continue to provide tailored practical and emotional support to bereaved children and their families. 

“We are thrilled to be the chosen charity of One Consulting. Establishing a partnership with One Consulting, who are dedicated to making a positive impact in their community, is truly wonderful. We look forward to our partnership ahead”.

Dan Jillings-Co Founder & CEO, Once Upon a Smile 

“We’re delighted to support Once Upon a Smile as our chosen charity. Their dedication to providing emotional and practical support to bereaved families is truly heartwarming”.

Stephen Repton-CEO, One Consulting & Associates 

One Consulting have already began working closely with us to support our work. Since our partnership began at the beginning of November, One Consulting have already contributed to our upcoming Christmas Ball by donating some amazing auction items and have donated a laptop.

We wish to thank One Consulting for their support and for choosing Once Upon a Smile as their charity of choice. We look forward to working together!

Are you interested in learning more about being a Corporate Partner with Once Upon a Smile?

We are excited to invite you to our next parent group on Tuesday 5th December from 10:30 till 1:00. This group we will be taking part in a Christmas wreath making workshop here at Sidley House. 

This will be a small group open to parents and carers of children who we support for different reasons, please note this is not a counselling group, this will be a relaxed space where you can meet others, be creative, and can make your own seasonal wreath. The lovely Sarah from North and Flower will be leading the workshop Sarah has a flower farm and has led us in some floral workshops in the past and always provides a relaxed workshop space where you can be creative, with no other expectations but to have some fun. 

At this stage we are asking people to register their interest to attend and then places will be confirmed. Please do check if you are able to attend on the specific day before you respond as all places are fully funded by Once Upon a Smile.

Parent Christmas Form

Would You like To Attend?(Required)

Ed from Stockport Homes Group has taken on a huge running challenge for 2023.

Ed running

Over the past 18 months, the dedicated team at Stockport Homes Group has been taking on a broad range of fundraising activities helping to raise funds to help us continue our work. This has included abseiling, jumping out of planes, running and walking challenges and more!

Ed, a team colleague at SHG decided to create his own unique fundraiser as part of housing provider’s charity support by running a staggering 500k in 12 months during 2023!

He has astonishingly completed his challenge FOUR MONTHS early, he’s also raised over £700!

We asked Ed to share with us what inspired him to take on such a big challenge, here Ed comments;

Having recently become a father, this cause really spoke to me. What would happen if… My original aim was to raise £500 but I’m hoping to double that total by the end of the year. It was the thought of my son who kept me going when I didn’t want to run anymore, which is why it was fitting that he crossed the final finish line with me!

Ed -Stockport Homes Group

We want to say huge well done and thanks to Ed and all of the team at Stockport Homes Group for choosing Once Upon a Smile as their Charity of Choice and for all of the amazing support they have given to us.

If you want to see how Stockport Homes Group are getting on with their fundraising and show your support, click here.

Are you interested in fundraising for Once Upon a Smile? Visit contact us or click below

As we strive to provide the best support we can to all families at Christmas, we are doing things a little different this year.

We want to provide the best available support to all our families and with this in mind, we are asking if you and your family require support this Christmas and if so, how you feel we can best support you.

Christmas Support Form

Would you like support from Once Upon a Smile this Christmas?(Required)

If you would like support, please answer below.

What support would you and your family benefit from? You can choose more than one.
If you chose support with presents, please answer below.
Presents purchased will be in line with your child(ten) interests.

Thank you. We will be in touch soon.

Our dedicated school fundraiser, SMILE MILE has been a popular activity to take part in since we started it in 2017. It is fantastic event if you want to challenge your class or school to run, walk or skip a mile, it also helps to raise important funds for Once Upon a Smile-which we really appreciate!

Sidley’s Smile Mile