The 2.6 Challenge raises over £5m on opening day
Melanie May | 27 April 2020 | News
The 2.6 Challenge raised over £5 million on its opening day yesterday (26 April) – the day this year’s London Marathon was due to have taken place.
The challenge event was launched earlier this month by mass participation event organisers including parkrun, London Landmarks, Virgin Sport and London Marathon Events to support the charities that would have benefitted from the London Marathon (currently postponed until 4 October). It asks people to help their chosen charity by coming up with an activity based around the numbers 2.6 or 26 (the distance in miles of the Marathon) instead, and to fundraise or donate to Save the UK’s Charities via The 2.6 Challenge website.
Hugh Brasher, Co-Chair of Mass Participation Sports Organisers (MSO) group and Event Director of London Marathon Events, said:
“The response we have had to The 2.6 Challenge has been incredible. It has been so inspiring to see the nation come together – from superstar celebrities to young children – to help save the UK’s charities.
Advertisement
“The best of Great Britain’s society shines through whenever we have our backs to the wall. People have been in their houses now for over a month and I think many of us feel helpless. While we understand the necessity to stay at home to save the NHS, many of us want to do something additional to help those in greatest need and The 2.6 Challenge allows us to do that, to get active and to help save the UK’s charities. It’s important to say that Sunday 26 April was just the start of the campaign and we want to encourage people that haven’t already taken part to think of a challenge and give it a go.”
Thousands of people took part yesterday and last night, funds raised had reached £5m, rising by this morning, 27 April, to almost £6m. Athletes, Olympians and Paralympians have joined fundraisers in participating, including Jonny Wilkinson, Richard Whitehead, Dame Kelly Holmes, and Mike Tindell, and the 26 Olympians Challenge.
Celebrities have been taking part too:
The 2.6 Challenge is also supported by sector bodies including Charities Aid Foundation, the Institute of Fundraising, the Small Charities Coalition, Sport England, sportscotland, Virgin Money Giving and JustGiving, and many others:
More on the 2.6 Challenge
- 26 examples of 2.6 challenge fundraising events (27 April 2020)
- Mass participation event organisers unite for UK charities with the 2.6 Challenge (16 April 2020)
- Virtual fundraising ideas during the coronavirus lockdown (30 March 2020)
- More virtual fundraising ideas when you are stuck at home (22 April 2020)
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.