Do you want to run for a cause close to your heart and increase your chances of gaining a place in the Virgin Money London Marathon? Applying for a charity entry could be the perfect option for you.

What are charity entries?

Each year most major charities have a set number of entry places in the Virgin Money London Marathon through the Golden and Silver Bond scheme. They allocate these places to runners who, in return, agree to raise a minimum amount of money for the charity.

How do I apply for a charity entry? 

A good place to start is to search our charity listings for a cause that you’re interested in, then get in touch with the charity to see if they can offer you a place.

There are usually more people interested in running for each charity than there are charity places available, so often charities will select runners based on their connection with the cause and how much money they are realistically able to raise. They will ask you questions in order to determine this.

The charity may also ask you to pay a registration fee when you apply for your charity place.

Visit our list of charities with places for full details of charities with guaranteed entries at the Virgin Money London Marathon.

When should I apply for a charity place?

You can register your interest with your charity at any time and they’ll keep you up to date.

Can I apply for a charity entry if I’ve entered the ballot?

If you’re waiting to hear whether you’ve gained a place through the Virgin Money London Marathon ballot you can still apply for a charity place to increase your chances of gaining entry to the marathon.

You might be very lucky and end up being successful in both the ballot and the charity entry. In this case it is likely that the charity will ask you to surrender your charity place so they can offer it to someone else.

However, even if you secure your own place in the Virgin Money London Marathon you can still run for your favourite charity, you just won’t be required to agree to raise a minimum amount of money.