April’s London Marathon opens up to all UK charities through ‘new-style’ virtual event
Melanie May | 18 January 2024 | News
‘London Marathon Events (LME) is inviting charities across the UK to be part of the London Marathon by taking part in the ‘new-style’ TCS London Marathon MyWay this April.
Through the event, charities can recruit participants from their wider supporter databases to take on the marathon distance their way – whether that is walking together, jogging or running the 26.2 miles – or a combination of all three. Participants can also take place outside of the UK, and all have 24 hours to complete the TCS London Marathon MyWay challenge anywhere in world between 00:01 to 23:59:59 BST on Sunday 21 April 2024.
Samaritans, the 2024 charity of the year, will be using its branches across the country as its supporters take on the challenge with official start and finish points at different locations. According to LME, other charities with regional presence are also planning to follow this model.
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Hugh Brasher, Event Director for the TCS London Marathon, said:
“The London Marathon has raised a staggering £1.2 billion for charity since the first edition in 1981. Every year we work with 2,000 charity partners but it has been impossible for us to meet the huge demand from charities to be involved in the event.
“We created the virtual event during the pandemic when it was not possible to stage the mass event on the streets of London – and set a Guinness World Record for the most participants in a remote marathon. In subsequent years, our partner charities have achieved great fundraising return from the involvement in the virtual event – averaging in excess of 7:1.
“Now, in this fifth edition, we want to create an event which offers every charity in the UK the opportunity to be involved and engage their wider supporter database to take on the challenge together on the day – that might be walking together in groups over the course of the day, with regular breaks, right up to jogging or running the full distance in one go. The only rules are that participants must be 18 or over on the day and the 26.2 miles must be completed within the 24 hours on foot or in a daychair. No bicycles, scooters or treadmills permitted!”
Sarah Ball, Head of Community and Events Fundraising at Samaritans, added:
“The TCS London Marathon is a landmark fundraising event for charities, and we’re thrilled to be the official charity of the year for 2024. MyWay helps us go even further by offering a truly inclusive way to anyone who wants to take part and raise vital funds for Samaritans. We can’t wait to see our marathon runners and walkers on the day, and the impact it has to help us save more lives.”
LME says charities that have previously achieved ‘significant fundraising’ from places in the event include Pancreatic Cancer UK, Myleoma UK, Cancer Research UK, Helen and Douglas House and Stormbreak.
All participants are sent a personal official TCS London Marathon number prior to the day and UK participants will also be sent a biodegradable finish line tape. Everyone who completes the TCS London Marathon MyWay will be sent the official TCS London Marathon New Balance T-shirt and finisher medal.
Entries to the TCS London Marathon MyWay cost £30 (£40 for international entries outside the UK to cover additional postage and packing costs).
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.