Run for charity at the London Marathon 2027

London 25th Apr

Apply now

Join Team Action for Children at the 2027 TCS London Marathon

Why run for our children's charity?

Running for Action for Children means you can help us reach the children and families who need us most. With 342 services across the UK, we're there everyday putting food in the fridge, topping up the gas metre, or making a home for children in care.

Thanks to people like you, our frontline staff can keep working hard to ensure safe and happy childhoods across the UK.

It’s been such an incredible journey fundraising for Action for Children. I'm really looking forward to enjoying all the sights along the route and celebrating with my family at the finish line.
Alicia, who ran the 2024 London Marathon for Action for Children

What you'll receive:

By running for our charity, you'll also receive these fantastic benefits:

Massage, food, shower, and professional photos at our post-race party!
Free Action for Children branded running vest to wear on the day.
Tailored training guides and tips from our professional running coach.
Support from our dedicated events team to help you smash your fundraising target.
Digital support pack with fundraising ideas and materials.
And lots of cheers! Be cheered on by our amazing and loud cheer squad to keep you going to the finish line. Look for us at miles 8 and 25!

Apply for a charity place with Action for Children

Your details

Title

First name

Last name

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

Town/City

Country

Postcode

Mobile number

Date of birth

Vest/t-shirt size

Application form

How do you plan to raise £2,600?

Sponsorship alone is rarely enough. Please outline the additional fundraising activities you plan, including examples, estimated amounts, and timescales. Only applicants with solid fundraising plans will be considered.

Tell us about your networks or communities you plan to fundraise from.

(e.g. workplace, club, faith group, online community, events)

Do you have any previous fundraising experience for AFC or any other charity? Please provide details of what you did, when you did it and how much you raised.

Why do you want to do the London Marathon for Action for Children?

This could be a personal connection to the cause, health and wellbeing journey, a lifelong ambition to do the event, a passion for our work or something else.

Are you happy for our press and/or social media teams to contact you to help promote your fundraising and share your story?

Yes
No
I'm not sure

Please tell us about your running experience and current training, including any races you have completed or plan to complete before April 2027

Your occupation

Your employer

Does your company operate a matched giving policy?

Yes
No
I'm not sure

How did you hear about Action for Children places in the London Marathon?

If you clicked 'Other' please provide detail below.

Emergency contact name

Emergency contact number

I understand that if I am awarded a place there is a non-refundable and non-transferable entry donation of £125 payable to Action for Children upon acceptance of a place.

I am aged 18 years and over and I consent to Action for Children using photographs of me taken during the London Marathon 2027 in future marketing materials.

By clicking 'Yes' you agree to Action for Children using images of you from the 2027 London Marathon in future promotional materials. For more information about how we'll use your personal data, please see www.actionforchildren.org.uk/privacy-policy

Stay in touch

As a valued supporter, we would love to send you regular updates about our work – including heartfelt stories, exciting events, and information about how you can continue to support vulnerable children and young people in the UK.

We may contact you by post or telephone, but we’d love to keep in touch in other ways too.

I’m happy for Action for Children to contact me by:

So I can choose when to read updates

So I can get updates straight to my mobile

SMS

So I can get updates straight to my mobile

You’re in control! Change your preferences online at any time, or by calling 0300 123 2112 or emailing [email protected]. For more information on how we keep your data safe and how we will contact you, please read our Privacy Policy at actionforchildren.org.uk/privacy.

Terms and Conditions

Action for Children’s Gold Bond places for the TCS London Marathon are limited and expensive. Therefore, we need to make sure that every runner we award a place to can maximise the value of their place.

By accepting a place for the 2027 TCS London Marathon, and taking part in the event on Sunday 25 April 2027, you agree to the following:

Fundraising Commitment

Raise £2,600 excluding Gift Aid and Matched Funding) by 21 July 2027
Aim to meet these milestones:
£250 by September
£450 by 26 October
£650 by November
£900 by December*
£1,200 by January
£1,500 by February
£1,800 by March
£2,100 by April
£2,400 by May
£2,600 by June

*If you do not meet your December milestone of £900, we will review your place with you and agree next steps. In some cases, this may mean reallocating your place.

Entry Donation

Pay a £125 entry donation within 14 days of receiving your acceptance email.
This donation is non-refundable, even if you drop out.
If unpaid after 14 days, we may offer your place to someone on our waiting list.

Communication & Support

You will have a dedicated Regional Fundraising Executive (RFE) who will be in regular contact supporting you to achieve your fundraising target.
An initial response must be received by your RFE within one week to confirm your place in the event. If we don’t hear from you, we will assume you do not require a place.
If you do not respond to communications from your RFE or the Sports Events Manager on three occasions or more, you are at risk of losing your place.
If we send communications marked as urgent, we ask that you respond within 48 hours where possible.

If You Can’t Take Part

Let us know as soon as possible if you have any concerns about participating or achieving your minimum fundraising target.
If you withdraw after January, we may not be able to reassign your place, and the charity will lose both the entry cost and expected fundraising.

Event Registration

You must complete race registration on the event console as soon as possible. To do this you will be emailed a link from “Let’s Do This”. If you don’t do this, you will not be eligible to run. You must collect your race number in person from the ExCeL London between 21–24 April 2027. Action for Children cannot do this on your behalf, and you will not be permitted to run without it.
You must collect your race number in person from the ExCeL London between 21–24 April 2027. Action for Children cannot do this on your behalf, and you will not be permitted to run without it.

Health & Safety

You are responsible for your own health during training and on race day.
Consult your doctor if you have any concerns.
Inform us immediately if you are injured and/or you’re unable to take part.

Handling Donations

All donated monies collected in support of Action for Children must be forwarded to the charity or returned to the individual sponsors (if requested) if you are unable to participate in the event for any reason.

Please check the box to confirm

I accept the terms and conditions

Run for charity at the London Marathon 2027