Surely, everyone knows that parkrun provides free, weekly opportunities for people to be active and social through more than 2,700 local, community-based 5K and 2K events, in over 23 countries around the world. But did you know parkrun is a charity, and you can help to keep parkrun completely free, for everyone, forever?

Perhaps you have progressed from your local 5K parkrun to entering races. Maybe you have gone on to run a half or full marathon. Now could be the time to pay a little back to the extraordinary organisation that set you on the road to a healthier and happier life.

Marathon training demands early mornings, tired legs, missed lie-ins and careful planning. Fundraising demands courage too – asking for support, sharing your story, putting yourself out there. Race pace doesn't matter. It's about finish lines, not finish times, when you are running for a cause. And what finer cause could there be than where it all started – parkrun?

The parkrun global London Marathon 2026 campaign has already got off to a brilliant start, with around £25K pledged by nearly 900 supporters. You can add to that total if you have a London Marathon place already – click here to learn more.

But you don’t need an official charity place to fundraise for parkrun. Whether you’re running the TCS London or Brighton Marathon, or taking part in another event later this year, you can still raise funds that make a real difference. There’s no minimum sponsorship requirement, and every pound you raise helps others experience the benefits of parkrun. You can even get a free t-shirt or vest to wear in your next event by committing to raise £250 for parkrun – click here to fill in a simple form to get started.

As part of the fundraising campaign, parkrun UK is following the progress of a disparate group of parkrunners, from their reasons for running to how training is going and what the journey to the marathon really looks like.

To discover more about changing lives by running, visit the parkrun UK blog here.

Photo courtesy of parkrun UK news