Youngsters help bring smiles to patients on cancer ward

Youngsters at a Croydon school helped bring a smile to hospital patients being treated on cancer wards.

Chestnut Park Primary School in St James’s Road, Croydon, partners with a charity named after James Carpenter who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 13 and died nine years later in September 2022.

Chesnut Park Head Teacher Rachel Jacob, who was the head of James’ infant school, has chosen James Box of Smiles as the school’s charity for the year. 

The charity was established by James’ parents, Jane and John Carpenter, as a legacy in his name.

A group of pupils recently visited Epsom Hospital’s Casey ward where patients received some of the Lego donated via the school.

Mrs Jacob said: “The children enjoyed adding the James Box of Smiles stickers to the donations and were so happy when the play team staff noted how kind and generous the children were.”

The Carpenter family has donated hundreds of sets of Lego to hospitals and charities around the country. 

James spent many hours building kits, and now the Box of Smiles means children and young people in hospital can share his love for Lego.

Chestnut Park Primary will also be fundraising for the charity in the summer term with events including a sponsored bounce.

Pictured top: Chestnut Park Primary School pupils and staff during their visit to Epsom Hospital’s Casey ward (Picture: Chestnut Park Primary School)