Smile Train’s Summer Reception in Pictures

On Thursday 20 July, Smile Train UK hosted their inaugural Summer Reception at the iconic National Portrait Gallery.

Along with some of our closest friends and supporters, the charity event was attended by some famous faces too, including iconic American actress, rapper, and singer Eve; West End star and radio presenter Elaine Paige; British singer Heather Small; English actor James D’Arcy; English actress Claire Forlani; and German music producer and songwriter Toby Gad.

The evening opened with warm welcomes from Smile Train President and CEO Susannah Schaefer and Smile Train UK Director Ian Vallance that framed the evening as a celebration of our supporters and the lives their contributions help save each day.

Pairing canapés with portraits, the special event offered a private view of the unprecedented exhibition Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm, which reveals to the public, for the first time, extraordinary photographs taken by the legendary Beatles.

But the pictures that drew the most buzz were those of Smile Train patients, whose dazzling smiles graced the walls as the masterpieces they are, outshining even those of the Fab Four in their early years.

“In so much of the world, children with clefts are hidden away,” Ian said. “So what better way to say that all smiles are beautiful and deserve to be seen than by showcasing our patients at the National Portrait Gallery? I think that message really resonated with our guests, who left eager to help us create even more stunning smiles for children in need.”