The Running Charity supports young people with complex challenges such as homelessness through exercise and community work.
The £165,000 grant from the London Marathon Foundation will enable The Running Charity to build on a pilot programme in Brighton to hire two full-time coaches who will support 120 young people in the city every year through access to running, wellbeing support and community services.
The Running Charity, which was founded in London 10 years ago and also has programmes in Manchester and Leeds, will work alongside endurance runner and fundraiser Russ Cook to host community running events to inspire and engage young people. Cook, from nearby Worthing, fundraised for The Running Charity during his epic Project Africa challenge where he became the first person in history to run the entire length of the continent.
Nick Bitel, CEO of the London Marathon Group, said: “We have been funders of The Running Charity since their foundation a decade ago. They do incredible work to engage and support young people who have a range of challenges, including homelessness, through running and exercise and we are delighted to provide this strategic grant to enable them to set up a full-time programme in Brighton and to extend the reach of their fabulous work.”
Alex Eagle, co-founder and director of The Running Charity, said: “A decade ago, the London Marathon Group was the first organisation to believe in our vision: that running could be a powerful force for change in the lives of young people facing homelessness and complex challenges. This latest grant from the London Marathon Foundation, which will enable us to expand our award-winning work into Brighton, is not just funding, it’s a commitment to helping us reach those who are too often left behind. We’re proud to have been the UK’s first charity to use running in this way, and this partnership continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible.”
The grant to The Running Charity is the second strategic grant for a Brighton project since London Marathon Events took over the organisation of the Brighton Marathon Weekend in December 2022.
In 2023, a £250,000 grant was awarded to Brighton Table Tennis Club to launch a new venue in Moulsecoomb for the whole community. Table tennis is known to be one of the most accessible sports, helping both physical and mental agility for all ages.