Runners from across the UK are preparing to take on this year’s London Marathon in aid of us, each for reasons close to their hearts.
And many have already raised thousands of pounds through incredible fundraising efforts. Thanks to each of them, thousands of members of our fire services community will have access to our lifelong care and support each year, so they can live well and feel valued and recognised.
Here, you can hear from a few of them…
Arlen Boyle and Charley Whitehead
Charley Whitehead and her partner Arlen are running in memory of her close friend, Rhys, who tragically passed away in January 2025.
She says: “There are nearly 31,000 firefighters in the UK who go out everyday prepared to put their lives on the line to save ours. What they see during incidents leaves images and sounds that are hard to erase, but they stay strong to support their fellow firefighters, families and us.
“That’s why we – Charley and Arlen – are running the 2026 London Marathon for Fire Fighters Charity
“I miss Rhys every day. I look up to him even now. And if I can run this marathon in his memory, for him and his family, maybe I can help someone else stay just a little bit longer and help a family avoid this kind of loss.
“This isn’t just about hitting a number – this is about showing up for Rhys, raising awareness for mental health by supporting others like him, and putting everything we’ve got into helping this charity continue its work.”
Chris Brummell
“This year, I’m taking on the incredible challenge of running The London Marathon in memory of my brother-in-law, Martyn, who tragically died in the line of duty at the Bicester Motion fire in May 2025. Martyn was a firefighter – a role that defined his life through his dedication, courage, and selflessness. He was someone who always put others first, both in his work and his personal life, and his loss left a space in our family that can never be filled.
“I’m running for Fire Fighters Charity to honour his memory and to give back to the community that supported him throughout his career. The charity provides vital mental, physical, and emotional support to firefighters and their families during their toughest times. Martyn was a huge supporter of Fire Fighters Charity and had been involved in fundraising for his whole career. By running this marathon, I hope to continue Martyn’s legacy of helping others, while keeping his spirit alive with every mile I cover.”
Daniel Grant
“I’m running the London Marathon for Fire Fighters Charity in memory of my Dad, Mike Grant, who proudly served with Green Watch at Hornsey Fire Station from 2004 until his passing in 2011.
“My Dad was more than a firefighter — he was a genuinely funny man, the life of the party, and someone who could light up a room in seconds. His humour and his ability to bring people together are things I still aspire to in my own life. Through the fire service, he made friends for life — friendships that didn’t end with his passing. Those friendships remain a constant in our lives and will always be part of my Mum’s life too.
“When he died, our family was left devastated, but we were not alone. Fire Fighters Charity supported us at our lowest, giving my mum, my brother, and me a respite break in Devon that provided comfort, calm, and a moment of healing when we needed it most. That kindness is something I will never forget.
“More than a decade later, I want to give back. My Dad loved the fire service and was deeply respected within it — something reflected in the special brigade funeral held in his honour. Running this marathon is my way of saying thank you, of carrying forward his legacy, and of supporting the incredible charity that stood by my family when everything felt unbearable.”
Frankie Shepherd
“I work for Scottish Fire & Rescue Service as a Watch Commander in Perth & Kinross as well as a Watch Commander at Blairgowrie On-Call.
“I’m running the London Marathon in support of Fire Fighters Charity because I’ve seen first-hand the incredible difference it makes to firefighters and their families. Over the years, I’ve watched friends and colleagues benefit from the charity’s support, whether that’s recovering from injury or dealing with mental health challenges. The work they do is genuinely life-changing, and I wanted to do something to give back.
“I’ve always enjoyed pushing myself and taking on a challenge, and the marathon is certainly that! But knowing it’s for such a worthwhile cause will keep me going every step of the way (hopefully)!”
Hamish Macrae
“I’m a wholetime Watch Commander with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
“I’m running the London Marathon 2026 in support of Fire Fighters Charity. While I’ve been fortunate never to need their help, I’ve witnessed the incredible work they have done for friends and colleagues throughout my 20 years in the Fire Service.”
David Walker
“I’m a firefighter in Royal Berkshire FRS and have been for 18 years now, I’m on Blue Watch at Wokingham Road Fire Station.
“I’m a runner and have completed quite a lot of half marathons and several marathons, I sustained an injury in 2022 just as I’d started tapering down ready for the Venice Marathon, I had sciatica and it completely floored me for several weeks, I was unable to go to Venice or run and was hobbling around and in a fair amount of discomfort!
“I contacted Fire Fighters Charity early 2023 and had a week down in Littlehampton and still can’t thank them enough, even by the end of the week I felt better than I’d felt for years and the physio really led me back onto the path of full health.
“I’m so grateful I can work and run again and the opportunity to run the London Marathon is bucket list for me.”
Ben Taylor
“I’m a firefighter stationed at Hightown Fire Starion and on-call at Eastleigh Fire Station. I’m running the marathon to give back to Fire Fighters Charity, which supports firefighters and their families through injury, illness, and mental health challenges.
“It’s my way of honouring the people I’ve served alongside and the vital work they do.”
Mark Travers
“So after 15 years of trying to get a spot, I’m finally in and attempting to complete The London Marathon at the ripe old age of 50 years and 3 days.
“I am running and raising much needed funds Fire Fighters Charity who do an amazing job supporting current and retired firefighters as well as their families. This will be the furthest I have ever attempted to run and any support no matter how big or small will help me cross that finish line.
“The training will be long and no doubt painful at times but to support such a great cause will be worth every mile of training and suffering.”
Chris Dabell
“I’m incredibly proud to share that I’ve secured a place in the 2026 London Marathon, running in support of Fire Fighters Charity. But this won’t be an ordinary marathon, I’ll be taking on all 26.2 miles in full firefighting kit.
“This challenge is deeply personal. Following the tragic loss of Jennie and Martyn in Bicester, along with the serious injuries sustained by others and the daily risks faced by every firefighter, I felt compelled to do something. This run is my way of honouring those we’ve lost, those still fighting, and those who selflessly serve our communities every day.”
Jamie Gough
“I’m an on-call firefighter at Bicester (Oxfordshire) and wholetime firefighter at Beaconsfield (Buckinghamshire). I’m running the London Marathon in support of Fire Fighters Charity, in memory of Jen and Martyn – two incredible friends and colleagues who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty this year.”
Mark Baxter
“With over 30 years service within Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, and being in the privileged position of Chief Fire Officer, I have witnessed the amazing support our Fire Fighters Charity has given to so many serving, retired and family members when they have needed it the most.
“The Fire Service can at times provide the most rewarding and also the most challenging experiences anyone can face. It is vital that we have the right support in terms of physical and mental wellbeing and rehabilitation to ensure our people are in the best place to be able to do the amazing things to support our communities.
“To show my support I have committed to our ‘Chiefs Challenge’ to run the London Marathon to raise much needed funds to continue providing support for our fire family. Having never run a marathon….and never likely to ever do it again….I am asking for your support to keep pushing me to train hard to complete the London Marathon. Please find it in you to kindly donate what you can for this great cause.”
Lauren Turner
Lauren’s husband, Ross, received counselling from us, as well as attending our Reset Programme, after facing challenges with his mental health.
And having seen the difference it made, she is now running the London Marathon in aid of us as a thank you – and has raised thousands of pounds already.
She says: “It really struck me that Fire Fighters Charity is also there for family members. If I ever needed support, it’s there for me to. Seeing the positive impact it has on people’s lives has really inspired me to raise funds. Doing the marathon was just my small way of helping.
“I’ve never run a marathon before so I’m fairly terrified, although really excited too! This will be a huge challenge for me.”
You can read their full story here.
Dan Enright
“I’m a Crew Manager in Nottinghamshire. Having been a Firefighter for 16 years I have seen first-hand the amazing work that the charity does supporting the fire service community. Whilst I have not yet needed their services, I have witnessed close friends and colleagues who have and the real difference it has made to them.”
Bob Green
“I’m a retained firefighter at Spilsby Station in the East Division of Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue and by the time the marathon comes around, it will be in my 10th year.
“I’m running for the charity as it’s so vital for us firefighters on the front line to know that we have support as and when it might be needed. I personally know firefighters that have had rehabilitation using Fire Fighters Charity and I know how thankful they were.”
Ant Naylor
“I’m a Wholetime Crew Manager for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service and I’m running for Fire Fighters Charity in full kit and BA. I’ve wanted to run the London Marathon for over 10 years, and with me turning 40 just before the event, I felt it was the perfect time to take on this challenge and raise money for a charity that means a great deal to me.
Emily McElhinney
“Both of my parents were part of Devon & Somerset FRS for 30 and 40 years respectively and I’m running for my father, James McElhinney who was in the fire service for over 40 years.
“He passed away in April from Myeloma, a form of blood cancer. The fire service was a huge part of my life growing up plus a community that my Dad loved and was proud to be part of. The marathon is on the eve of the 1 year anniversary of his passing so it feels like a good way to honour him.”
Dan Sumnall
“I’m currently a firefighter with the London Fire Brigade, based at Stanmore and with the White Watch. I haven’t been in LFB for very long but previously I was in the British Army and at some points I relied on using charities to support myself through tough times.
“I felt it was important to raise money for a charity that supports so many firefighters around the country and potentially could support myself, should I ever need it.”
Morgan Logsdon
“I serve as a wholetime firefighter in Kent FRS and I’m planning to do the London Marathon in fire kit, while carrying a BA set. I’m running for the charity as I’m inspired by the work it does. Although I’m new to the service, I fully support the charity and hope to raise more money for it in the future.”
Felicity Rowlands
“I’m a firefighter at Gloucestershire FRS and I’ve been in the service for nearly 9 years.
“After seven years of unsuccessful ballot entries, I’ve finally taken the plunge and signed up to run the London Marathon — raising money for Fire Fighters Charity, a cause that’s incredibly close to my heart.
“The recent tragic deaths of two firefighters, Jennie Logan and Martyn Sadler, really shook our fire service family and gave me the push I needed to stop waiting and start doing. I wanted to turn heartbreak into something positive – to take on this challenge and raise funds for a charity that supports firefighters through the toughest times.”
Kat Jones
Kat, who works in Prevention with Devon and Somerset FRS and was previously a firefighter with LFB, is planning to run the marathon in aid of us after we supported her and her family amid a challenging time with two of her children, who are both living with degenerative conditions.
She says: “Having the charity there, if we ever need support, is amazing. I’d recommend the charity to anyone who’s struggling a bit. If it helps just one person get the support they need then it’s absolutely worth it.”
Read her full story here.
Janine Kinnear
“I am so pleased to be able to run the London Marathon to raise vital funds for Fire Fighters Charity. The work they do to support existing and retired firefighters and their families is just amazing.
“I am an advocate for mental health and am already a mental health first aider in the fire service. I had the opportunity through the charity’s HOPE Programme to undertake a course on understanding and dealing with my own mental health.
“I have also a heard first-hand from a firefighter on my Watch how beneficial Jubilee House is. He unfortunately had to take time off work due to a knee injury. He was able to attend Jubilee House for a week’s rehab and respite and couldn’t praise the team enough.”
Julie Skeffington
“I was a wholetime firefighter in East Sussex for 17 years until I retired in 2021.
“Running the London Marathon has been a dream of mine since I was a teenager. For the last decade I have attempted to secure a place to allow me to fulfil my lifelong dream and now, thanks to Fire Fighters Charity, I have the opportunity to do so while raising money for a cause close to my heart.
The charity provides invaluable mental and physical support to members of the fire community and, in particular, to those affected by their experiences on the front line.
“As a firefighter in 2006, I attended a major incident at a fireworks factory where, following a large explosion, two of my colleagues tragically died and many more, including myself, were injured.
“The charity provided support both mentally and physically to help both those affected and their families come to terms with and recover from the traumatic experience we were exposed to and, in my case, helped me return to work and to continue in my career for a further 15 years, until my retirement.”
Emily Penfold
“I’m not in the fire service, I actually work for the prison service as a facilitator, so day to day I’m running a programme to young offenders to hopefully reduce their risk of reoffending.
“I’ve seen all the amazing work that the charity provides, not only to those in the fire service but their families as well, and with my dad being a firefighter for almost 30 years, it’s definitely given me the extra motivation to run!”
Will Basnett
“I have been a firefighter now for 23 years in West Yorkshire.
“I currently work at Spen Valley Fire Station and I am part of the USAR team and Technical Rescue Team. I have been a Station Rep for the charity for quite a few years now. I love a challenge and when the opportunity to run the London Marathon came up, I could not resist. It is an event I have always wanted to do and to do it for Fire Fighters Charity makes it even more worthwhile.”
Jonathan Green
“As a serving firefighter I know the work Fire Fighters Charity does, and we had some of the team come to our station a couple months back telling us the amazing amount of support it gives… this all comes from fundraising.”
We also have some amazing runners who have chosen to support us with their own place in the marathon this year, including: