A record-breaking marathon: £52,000 and counting

The 2025 TCS London Marathon was a wonderful event in our calendar and this year’s fundraising total has already passed £52,000, with more still to come in through corporate match funding and generous supporters.

We are so proud of the achievements of our marathon runners, whose dedication and training made this such a meaningful event. Everyone who was fundraising had shared commitment to supporting grassroots organisations across London. We are very thankful to everyone who played a role, whether by running, cheering, or donating.

A story behind our new vest design

One of the highlights this year was unveiling our newly designed running vests. We partnered with Art Against Knives, a youth-focused organisation supported through our Youth Futures Fund, to co-create a vest that would stand out in the crowd. Three young people from their community submitted designs, and our final choice which was worn proudly by all our runners drew attention on the day. We are grateful to the team and the young people who helped bring it to life. It was such a success that we will be keeping the design for next year’s event.

Race day: Heat, emotion and community spirit

We feel so privileged to play a small part in the journey (of our runners) and to support them along the way. It’s a day we look forward to all year - #TeamLondonCF

The day of the marathon was quite warm which has been a real challenge for many participants. The conditions made all of the runners’ achievements more impressive. Our team was positioned in Bermondsey and near the finish line at St James’s Park. They have been cheering on every runner they could spot coming towards. The atmosphere was electric: music, dancing, laughter, tears, and determination as thousands crossed the finish line.

For those who have never seen the marathon in person, we cannot recommend it enough. The energy is unforgettable – and the support from the crowd really does help push runners through those final miles.

A community effort

So far, the 2025 London Marathon has raised over £52,000 towards our work with community-led organisations across the capital. These vital funds support us to help all the small charities making a difference every day in their local communities, from youth services and mental health projects to employment support and arts initiatives.

We are hugely grateful to all the runners, donors, and employers who helped us reach this total and we know more money is still pledged to come in. Several of our runners had their fundraising doubled through company match-funding schemes. If you are thinking about taking on a challenge like this next year, it is definitely worth exploring whether your employer offers something similar, as this can really boost your total raised.

Truly one of the most incredible experiences of my life, made even more meaningful by the opportunity to represent a charity that does so much good for the greater London community - Brody

Looking ahead

From our side, marathon day is one of the most fun and inspiring days of the year. One member of our team shared:

"Every runner has their own story. Some have overcome enormous challenges just to get to the start line. We feel so privileged to play a small part in their journey and to support them along the way. It’s a day we look forward to all year."

We also heard from Brody, one of this year’s runners who travelled from USA, who captured the spirit of the day beautifully:

“I wanted to take a moment to thank The London Community Foundation. The race was truly one of the most incredible experiences of my life, made even more meaningful by the opportunity to represent a charity that does so much good for the greater London community. I’ll always be grateful for the chance you gave me — running the London Marathon with four of my best friends, and being able to hug my mom just 50 feet from the finish line in front of Buckingham Palace, are moments I’ll cherish forever.

Because I had such a phenomenal experience, I want to help others have the same.”

We will be taking on board all the feedback from this year’s team and are already planning how to make 2026 even better – more connection, more community, and even more impact.