The amount raised for charity by runners in the London Marathon since it began in 1981, is set to top half a billion pounds when the event celebrates its 30th anniversary on 25th April this year.
Runners in last year’s race raised a massive £47.2 million for charitable causes, confirming the London Marathon as the largest annual one-day fund raising event in the world. With a similar total expected from this year’s 36,000 runners, the total raised over 30 years since the first race in 1981 will reach more than £500 million!
“The London Marathon is immensely proud of its record as a charity fund raising event,” said Dave Bedford, London Marathon’s race director. “We provide our runners with an opportunity to raise huge amounts for good causes every year and will be delighted when the total raised for charity reaches half a billion pounds in our 30th year.”
In addition, over the last three decades the London Marathon Charitable Trust has awarded more than £35 million in grants to develop sport and recreation facilities in the capital and other areas in the country where the London marathon stages events.
This year the Trust has allocated a record £5 million to sports projects across London, its largest annual awards total since the charity was founded in 1981. The awards include total grants of nearly £3.5 million made to 59 projects in 29 London boroughs and two cross-London schemes, ranging in value from £750 for a short mat bowling carpet in Bromley to £250,000 towards a new sports hall in Redbridge.
Read More...
