Give a mile. Help veterans to recover and enjoy life.

A charity run is a great way to raise money for a good cause. Bringing people from all walks of life together, charity running gives a great sense of fulfilment and inspiration. There really is no better feeling than crossing that finishing line knowing that you have made a difference and achieved something momentous.

As well as raising awareness of your favourite cause, a charity run can be a hugely rewarding experience and always makes for a memorable day!

From large scale running events such as the London Marathon, Brighton Marathon, Manchester Marathon, the Great North Run or Great South Run, through to local 5K runs, there are a whole host of organised charity events for runners of all ages and abilities to take part in.

Want to Run a Marathon for Help for Heroes?

Ready to tick off this bucket-list challenge and raise some much needed funds for our Armed Forces community? If you have successfully got a ballot place for a marathon, such as the London, Brighton or Manchester marathon, you can use your place to fundraise for us. It's quick and easy - here's how: 

USE YOUR OWN PLACE

Once you have your place, all you need to do is:

Step 1

Register your Marathon fundraiser to let us know you will be fundraising for us.

Register your Marathon fundraiser


Step 2

Set up your fundraising page on Just Giving to get started.

Set up your Fundraising Page


Please note: We do not have charity places available. If you’ve secured your own place through the ballot, you can still run for us by registering your fundraiser.

When do the ballots open? 

London Marathon 2027 - Ballot opens on 27 April 2026

Brighton Marathon 2027 - Ballot opens on 15 April 2026

Manchester Marathon 2027 - Ballot opens on 10 June 2026

Our featured charity runs

Running for charity

There’s a lot more to taking part in a charity run than just turning up on the day.

First and foremost, you’ll set your fundraising goal, and start training as early as you can to ensure that you are in the best condition to run.

There are countless charities to choose from, although of course we hope you will choose to run for us.

As well as raising awareness of your favourite cause, a charity run can be a hugely rewarding experience and always makes for a memorable day!

For support with fundraising, make sure to check out our Fundraising Tools page.

Choosing your distance

Choose a distance that aligns with your current fitness level and training goals, whether that’s a 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, or something in between. Are you a beginner or an experienced runner?

Finding an event near you

There are some good websites to help you find what's on the running calendar near you including Find a Race, Let's Do This, Run for Charity, and Run Britain.

It's also a good idea to check out your local news sites, gyms and running clubs for event details.

Planning your own event

Although there are many organised charity runs, many people also organise their own event and route, either alone or with a group of people.

There’s quite a bit to consider if you decide to embark on your own charity event, including choosing a route, implementing safety precautions, organising transportation if required, as well as the legalities of the run.

If you're planning to recuit other people for the event, you will also be responsible for finding and registering participants and your own marketing activities to promote it.

Ultra Trail Series
Threshold Ultra Trail Series - Threshold
  • Charity Runs FAQs

    • A charity run is a fantastic way to raise money for a good cause while bringing people together. It offers a great sense of fulfilment, inspiration, and awareness‑raising for the charity you choose to support. There’s nothing quite like crossing the finish line knowing you’ve made a difference and achieved something momentous.

    • You can take part in all kinds of organised events, from large‑scale races like the London Marathon, Brighton Marathon, Manchester Marathon, the Great North Run or Great South Run, right through to local 5K runs. There are runs for all ages and abilities, so you can choose the distance that best supports your fitness level and training plan.

    • Once you've secured your place in a marathon, such as London, Brighton or Manchester, it's quick and easy to set up a fundraising page and start fundraising. You can do this through JustGiving.

      If you wish to fundraise for Help for Heroes, thank you! All you need to do is:

      1. Register your marathon fundraiser to let the charity know you’ll be raising money.
      2. Set up your fundraising page on JustGiving and start sharing your challenge.

      We'll be in touch to help you reach your fundraising goal.

      Please note: Help for Heroes does not currently have charity places available, so runners use their own ballot places to fundraise.

    • Charity runs raise money through participant fundraising. By setting a fundraising goal and encouraging friends, family, and colleagues to donate, every runner helps support vital work while also raising awareness for the cause.

Running for charity

Check out our running events