# Tommy’s launches London Landmarks Half Marathon to benefit itself & other charities

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/02/21/tommys-launches-london-landmarks-half-marathon-benefit-itself-other-charities/
- Published: 2017-02-21T08:55:16+00:00
- Author: Melanie May

**Tommy’s is launching a half marathon event for next March, with 10,000 places 
split between itself and other charities.**

The [London Landmarks Half Marathon](https://www.llhm.co.uk/) is planned as an annual
event and will first take place on 25th March 2018, with the aim of raising £4 million
between [Tommy’s](https://www.tommys.org/) and other participating charities. The
event is a closed road central London run and will be the only half marathon to 
go through both the City of London and City of Westminster.

A minimum of 3,750 places will be taken by other charities. Runners will start on
Pall Mall, finish by Downing Street and take in some of London’s most well-known
landmarks including Big Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral, Nelson’s Column, the Gherkin, 
the Shard, the Tower of London and the London Eye.

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The route has taken 18 months to plan with Tommy’s launching it with the support
of Westminster City Council and the City of London Corporation. A launch event to
introduce the event to other charities took place on 2^(nd) February, followed by
an application process for places. Applications are now closed, but the [event website](https://www.llhm.co.uk/)
will launch fully in April with an information section for charities still interested
in participating, and more places may be released later in the year.

The event will also deliver a pan-London community engagement programme and involve
London-wide schools, boroughs, community groups, cultural organisations, sports 
clubs and businesses in developing the event and on the day.

Lia Bowman, race director at Tommy’s, told UK Fundraising:

> “In 2014 we embarked on a strategy to double our organisational income. After 
> evaluating the different options available to us for raising more funds, we decided
> to launch an event and with our offices based in the City, noticed a gap in the
> market for a marathon that takes in the City and its landmarks.”

Jane Brewin, chief executive at Tommy’s, also commented:

> “We are looking forward to working with schools and local communities to make 
> the London Landmarks Half Marathon a day to remember in London’s annual calendar.
> We hope lots of people across London will take up the challenge.”