Date: Sunday 26th April 2026
Distance: 26.2 Miles
Location: London
Registration Fee: £100
Minimum fundraising: £2,000 (excluding Gift Aid and Registration Fee)
Join #TeamBrave in the London Marathon 2026!
Applications are open
With an electric atmosphere and a legendary route from Greenwich Park to Buckingham Palace, it’s no surprise this hugely popular event is one of the world’s top marathons. With every mile and every donation, you’ll be making a big difference – helping to fund emergency accommodation for homeless male and female veterans, build homes that cater for veterans regardless of their physical abilities, and offer mental wellbeing support when veterans need it the most.
The application deadline is 31st July 2025 and we will confirm our spaces by the end of August 2025.
Please note: there is a minimum fundraising target of £2,000, exclusive of Gift Aid and Registration Fee.
Register with Your Own Place
If you are lucky enough to be offered a place in the 2026 TCS London Marathon we would absolutely love to have your running on our team. Please let us know if you’d like to be on our team by emailing [email protected].
Charity Places
As one of our incredible London Marathon runners, you’ll receive:
· Ongoing support from our friendly events team, who are on hand to answer your questions and provide fundraising tips and materials.
· A webinar with expert advice from personal trainers.
· Enthusiastic race-day support, with dedicated cheer station.
· RBLI dri-fit running t-shirt.
· A special post-marathon reception to celebrate your achievement with your supporters and the RBLI Team.
Why run with #TeamBrave?
‘Female veterans are invisible – people like me get overlooked’.
Vicky doesn’t look like a veteran. “When you think of one, most people picture an old man” she says. “Nobody would believe I was a veteran unless I was wearing a badge or unit T-shirt. You don’t see someone like me. I’m overlooked in a way. Female veterans can be invisible, and I’ve felt that at times.”
Vicky joined the Army as a Combat Medical Technician at 19, and was deployed to Kosovo, Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Iraq for five or six months at a time. She offered frontline medical support to soliders and civilians. She was one of the first soldiers to get boots on the ground in Kabul in 2001. ‘I was young, fit, rising through the ranks and doing well’ she says. I started as a Private and left as a Sergeant. But even after all she had achieved on a professional level, Vicky’s mental health was deteriorating following a traumatic tour of Afghanistan in 2011. Vicky was eventually diagnosed with PTSD and medically discharged in 2019. This came as a relief. However, Vicky felt excluded as a young, female veteran. At her lowest, Vicky happened upon the RBLI village, came in and simplay asked, “Can help me?” The answer was yes.
Vicky says, “The RBLI hasn’t just given me somewhere to live, but a feeling of familiarity. I cannot imagine living anywhere else at the moment.”
FAQs
What is my fundraising target?
We ask runners who have registered for one of our charity places to raise a minimum of £2,000. There is no minimum fundraising target for ballot place runners, we only ask you to raise what you can.
Where does the money I raise go?
The money you raise goes to helping our veterans overcome substantial challenges, both physical and mental. We offer accommodation to homeless veterans, and long-term housing for disabled veterans, veteran families and assisted living for elderly veterans. The community we have built has allowed us to offer mental health support, to create areas around the village that encourage socialisation and to offer our Lifeworks course which is a pathway to employment.
What if I don’t reach the fundraising target?
We set the target at £2,000 to enable us to make a significant impact for our veterans and their families. Now more than ever, charitable funding is vital, and every penny we receive helps RBLI to continue providing compassionate care in a welcoming village.
We’re here to support you with your fundraising. If you have any concerns about reaching the target, please get in touch with one of our friendly team.
What is a charity place and how can I apply?
Alongside places available through the main TCS London Marathon ballot, RBLI has a limited number of charity places to fill. Due to high demand, there is an application process for these spaces.
When applying, please ensure you give as much detail as possible regarding your fundraising plans and your motivations for taking part in the London Marathon. The more detail you give, the more likely you will be successful.
If your registration has been confirmed we will ask you to pay £100 to confirm your space. We can only hold this space for a week before we will have to offer the place to someone else.
How do I create my fundraising page?
You will be sent a link to Enthuse, the official fundraising partner for TCS London Marathon where you will be able to sign up. Other fundraising pages are available, please contact the fundraising team on [email protected] if you would like to use an alternative and we will send you the correct links.
I have a ballot place and want to fundraise for RBLI. How do I sign up?
If you have a ballot place and you’d like to use your space to fundraise for us, please sign up here.
When will I get my running t-shirt?
Your RBLI running t-shirt will be posted to you at least 3 months before the event.
I can no longer take part, what do I do?
If you can no longer take part in the event, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing [email protected].
What is the deadline to apply for a 2026 charity place?
The application deadline is 31st July 2025 and we hope to confirm our spaces by the end of August 2025.
Do I need to do anything to confirm my registration as a charity place runner?
If your application for a charity place is successful, you will be sent a welcome email and you will also hear from one of our team by phone. You will need to pay £100 registration fee to RBLI, however do speak to the team if the deadline requires a short extension. Failure to pay or to speak to the team regarding an extension will result in the loss of your place.
Closer to the event taking place, charity place runners will also receive an invite from London Marathon Events asking them to complete their second stage registration form online for the 2026 TCS London Marathon. We will send you an email at the same time, reminding you to complete this registration.
London Marathon Events will announce specific deadlines. Please note, if you do not complete your second stage registration before the deadline, you will not be able to participate on race day.
What time does the TCS London Marathon start?
The race usually starts between 9.30am and 11am. Runners will receive confirmation of their wave start time by email from London Marathon Events.
What is the route for the TCS London Marathon? Where does it start and end?
You can see the full route on the TCS London Marathon website. The route begins at Greenwich Park and ends on The Mall next to St James’ Park.
Is there a chance to meet the team?
We will hold an online seminar to help you with your training and fundraising efforts ahead of the event. If you live close to our village, or you’re visiting nearby, we always welcome you to come and visit us. We will happily give you a tour of Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company and the surrounding RBLI Village where our veterans live, work and receive mental health support.
