From race day to real impact: fundraise on your run

Running the London Marathon or the Great North Run? Turn your race into a fundraiser for a charity, with your own page, a QR code and Gift Aid.

Running, cycling or swimming a race soon? You can raise money for a charity while you do it. Set up a personal action page, share the link or QR code and let friends and family sponsor you. Here is how that works in WeGlow.world, which UK races you can choose and what Gift Aid adds to your sponsors' gifts.

How to turn your race into a fundraiser

You fundraise through a personal action page at an organisation that uses WeGlow. It takes four steps:

  1. Pick a challenge that suits you: running, cycling, swimming or walking.
  2. Start your action page on your charity's campaign or event, with a title, a story, photos and a target amount.
  3. Share your page by link, QR code, WhatsApp, Facebook, LinkedIn or e-mail.
  4. Post updates about your training and your race, so sponsors keep following you.

Every donation lights up as a candle on the WeGlow world map. The charity can approve new actions first, so your page sometimes goes live only after it has reviewed it.

Which races in the United Kingdom?

An action page is separate from the race itself: you can use it for any event. Two UK examples:

  • TCS London Marathon: the 2026 edition raised at least £87.5 million for charities, a world record for a one-day event, with 59,830 finishers. Official fundraising ran through Enthuse (£42.2 million) and JustGiving (£43.7 million).
  • Great North Run: on 13 September 2026, around 60,000 runners ran 13.1 miles on the city-to-sea route starting in Newcastle. One charity place page notes there is no minimum target, with £350 suggested.

What does Gift Aid add to a sponsor's gift?

With a Gift Aid declaration, a charity can claim an extra 25p for every £1 given, at no cost to the donor. The gift must be no more than 4 times the tax the donor paid that tax year.

  • Gift Aid: charities and community amateur sports clubs can claim 25p on each £1, and you need to make a declaration for the charity to claim (GOV.UK, Gift Aid).
  • Sponsored challenges: sponsors must make a valid declaration, and the registration fee a participant pays in advance is not eligible for Gift Aid (GOV.UK, Gift Aid donation claims).

In WeGlow, the donation page of a UK charity offers donors a Gift Aid option and a Gift Aid declaration. The charity makes the claim itself, and we do not give personal tax advice.

How to raise more

A good fundraiser starts well before the start line and ends only with a thank you.

  • Start your action well before the race and put your goal on it straight away.
  • Say why you are running and where the money goes.
  • Post an update with your result after the race and thank your sponsors.

Does your charity raise money through runners? Register your organisation on WeGlow.world or get in touch.

Frequently asked questions

Can I fundraise for a charity when I run a race?

Yes. At an organisation that uses WeGlow.world, you start your own action page as a supporter for a campaign or event, with a title, story, photos and target amount. You share the link or QR code and follow the gifts. The charity can approve new actions first.

Does the race organiser have to be involved?

No. Your action page on WeGlow.world is separate from the race and belongs to the charity you raise money for. For the London Marathon, official charity places raised money through Enthuse and JustGiving, so check with your charity how it handles that.

What does WeGlow cost the charity?

WeGlow.world has a free plan and charges a 5% platform fee per donation, which donors can cover so that 100% reaches the organisation. The Pro plan costs €40 a month or €400 a year, excluding VAT. What a sponsor can claim through Gift Aid is explained above.

Do my sponsors need to do anything for Gift Aid?

Yes, a donor needs to make a Gift Aid declaration for the charity to claim, and the gift must be within 4 times the tax they paid that year. WeGlow.world offers the declaration on the donation page of a UK charity; the charity makes the claim.

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