London Marathon 2027

Take part in one of the greatest road races in the world with Team Cranstoun!

Achieve the ambition of a lifetime and run the London Marathon in 2027 for an amazing charity cause. Along the way, you’ll cross Tower Bridge, check your split time on Big Ben, and feel the rush of finishing 26.2 exhilarating miles with Buckingham Palace as your backdrop.

Best of all, every pound you raise will give people safety, stability and hope to build brighter futures. Places are limited – apply today!

Apply for a Charity Place

Event Date

Saturday 24^th April 2027

Entry Fee

£100

Fundraising Target

£2,500

About the London Marathon

Kipchoge, Radcliffe, Farah… you?

From Olympic champions and world record holders to first-timers fundraising in fancy dress, 1.3 million runners have completed the iconic London Marathon. In 2027, you can follow in their footsteps.

For the first time, next year’s London Marathon will take place over two days. Tens of thousands of charity runners will take over the capital on Saturday 24th April ahead of the elite races on Sunday. This is your chance to be part of the historic first-ever Saturday running of the London Marathon!

Your 26.2-mile route takes you from Greenwich to Westminster: past the Cutty Sark, over Tower Bridge, through Canary Wharf and along the River Thames, before finishing on The Mall in the shadow of Buckingham Palace.

And you won’t be doing it alone. You’ll be joined by 100,000 runners across the weekend and 750,000 spectators lining every inch of the course, creating an atmosphere unlike any other race, anywhere in the world!

Two London Marathon runners hold hands and raise their arms at the finish line on the Mall, with Union Jack flags lining the route and Buckingham Palace in the background.

A London Marathon runner raises both arms while running along The Mall, surrounded by other runners and Union Jack flags.

Running the London Marathon with Cranstoun

We have a limited number of charity places available for runners who commit to raising £2,500 to support Cranstoun’s life-changing work.

As you run the world’s most iconic marathon course, every step will help people facing some of life’s toughest challenges to reach safer, healthier and happier futures. You’ll be empowering people to access the support they need to change their lives, and we cannot thank you enough.

As a member of Team Cranstoun, you’ll receive:

Our new Cranstoun running t-shirt
Dedicated fundraising support and ideas
Encouragement throughout your training
Support on race day from our cheer squad

How Your Fundraising Helps

When you run with Team Cranstoun, you’re supporting people who deserve safety, stability and a chance to thrive.

As a thank you for fundraising for us, we’ll support you throughout your training, give you a free running T-shirt for race day, and keep you connected to the impact of your fundraising.

Your fundraising will directly support Cranstoun's charitable work. A small proportion helps cover the cost of securing places in events like the London Marathon, allowing us to continue offering charity places to future runners.

Every remaining penny goes to our frontline services, helping people to create safer, healthier futures. Your fundraising could help us provide:

Refuge for survivors and families escaping domestic abuse
Secure, sustainable housing for people experiencing homelessness
Safe spaces for children and young people to access support
Non‑judgemental support to reduce the harm of substance use
Stronger communities through programmes to reduce crime

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to enter?

Our charity places in the London Marathon 2027 cost £100. We ask all Team Cranstoun runners to commit to raising a minimum of £2,500 to help empower safer, healthier lives for people facing some of life’s toughest challenges.

We’ll support you every step of the way with fundraising advice, resources and encouragement to help you reach your goal.

Which landmarks will I run past?

The London Marathon route takes in many of the capital’s most famous sights, including:

Cutty Sark
Tower Bridge
Canary Wharf
The Tower of London
The Embankment
Big Ben
The London Eye
Buckingham Palace
The Mall

Routes occasionally change for operational reasons, but you can expect an unforgettable tour of London from start to finish.

How will Cranstoun allocate its places?

Demand for London Marathon charity places is always extremely high and we only have a very limited number available.

We’ll prioritise applicants who demonstrate a strong commitment to fundraising for Cranstoun’s life-changing work.

What are the eligibility requirements?

To participate in the London Marathon, you must be:

At least 18 years old on Saturday 24^th April 2027
Able to finish the marathon by 5:30pm

We’ll share full terms and conditions before you purchase one of our charity places in the event.

Is there a deadline to apply? When will I hear back?

There’s no fixed deadline to apply, but we’ll review applications on a rolling basis. We recommend applying as early as possible, as demand is expected to be high.

We currently expect to allocate places by the end of September 2026. However, as 2027 will be Cranstoun’s first year taking part in the London Marathon, our timelines may adjust to reflect demand.

We’ll do our best to keep applicants updated throughout the selection process. Please bear with us as we’re a small team, but we’ll be in touch as soon as we can.

Can I still run for Cranstoun if I have a ballot place?

Yes, and we’d be delighted to welcome you to Team Cranstoun.

If you’ve secured your own place through the public ballot, you can support our work without committing to a minimum fundraising target. You’ll receive a free Cranstoun running top, fundraising tips and resources, and the satisfaction of knowing every mile is helping to create safer, healthier lives.

Please email us at events@cranstoun.org.uk and we’ll help you get started.

Can I defer my place if I can no longer take part?

Unfortunately, London Marathon charity places cannot be deferred to a future event.

If you’re unable to participate, please let us know as soon as possible. We’ll try to find another runner to take the place.

Depending on the circumstances, and if we’re unable to reallocate the place, we may ask you to contribute towards the cost of the entry. We’ll do everything we can to avoid this.

What happens if I don't reach my fundraising target?

We’ll provide fundraising advice, resources and one-to-one support to help you reach your £2,500 target.

If you’ve made a genuine effort but fall slightly short, please don’t worry. We’re grateful for every donation and all the hard work you’ve put into fundraising.

However, if you’re substantially below target and haven’t made an active effort to fundraise, we may ask you to contribute towards the difference. This helps ensure charity places remain sustainable and continue generating funds for the people we support.

This would be a last resort, as we’d much rather work together to help you achieve your goal.

What services does Cranstoun offer?

Cranstoun is a social justice charity that reduces harm, challenges inequality, and creates opportunities for people to live safer, healthier lives.

We provide services supporting people affected by substance use, homelessness, domestic abuse and involvement with the justice system, focusing on practical support and long-term change.

Cranstoun is a registered charity in England and Wales (No. 1061582) and is regulated by the Fundraising Regulator.

Apply for the London Marathon

Name

Email address

Will this be your first time running the London Marathon?Yes, this will be my first ever London Marathon.No, I've run the London Marathon before.

We’d love to hear why you’d like to run the London Marathon for Cranstoun. To help us fairly assess all applications, please answer each question in 500 characters or fewer.

Why do you want to run for Cranstoun?

How will you raise at least £2,500 for Cranstoun?
Please tell us about your fundraising plans, including any events, workplace fundraising, matched giving schemes, community groups, social media activity, or other sources of support.

Do you have any previous fundraising experience?
Please tell us about any fundraising activities you’ve taken part in and approximately how much you raised.

Please confirm you accept the following terms:
I will be at least 18 years old on Saturday 24 April 2027.I will complete the event within the organisers’ time limit.If my application is successful, I will actively fundraise for Cranstoun and raise a minimum of £2,500.If I withdraw from the event, Cranstoun reserve the right to charge me a fee to cover the cost of my place.If I do not raise £2,500 and, in Cranstoun’s reasonable opinion, I have not made sufficient effort to fundraise, Cranstoun reserves the right to ask me to pay the shortfall.

Would you like to hear other opportunities to support us?
I would like to receive emails about other charity running events and ways to support Cranstoun.

Search our website