Team RNIB beats the heat to raise more than £200,000 in massive London Marathon effort
Vicki Paige running for Team RNIB
Around ninety courageous runners pulled on bright pink RNIB running vests and braved the 26.2 miles of the London Marathon despite the warm weather on Sunday.
Eight Team RNIB 2026 runners were blind or partially sighted and the team as a whole will have raised more than £200,000 for the charity – all of which will go towards helping make the world a better place for people with sight loss.
Among the runners was Damien Roberts who, incredibly, flew in from Perth, Australia on Friday evening to run the Marathon. He said afterwards: “My dad told me about the great work that RNIB does, he worked for the charity for 20 years. Sight is such a privilege to have, so I wanted to raise money for anyone going through that transition of losing their sight. It’s been an amazing experience.”
Alfie Brown ran for RNIB as his wife Lauren has sight loss.
He said: “It was my turn this year! It was a race of two halves, the second half was a struggle, but we’ve raised about £2,000 for RNIB so it was completely worth it.”
Lauren who has previously run the Marathon twice for RNIB, added: “I’ve lost a lot of central vision and we don’t know if my sight will go completely. When I first got diagnosed, I contacted RNIB and they were super supportive and this journey of raising money has helped keep me going and stay positive and focussed. We’re on about £9,400 over three years now, the goal is to raise £10,000!”
Lauren and Alfie brought along their whole family from Felixstowe to support them including, Lauren’s mum Mary who has battled cancer this year but continued fundraising for RNIB with car boot sales and quizzes.
The family also brought along their stuffed toy goose mascot complete with pink RNIB running vest!
Daniel Marshallsay brought a large group of friends and family to London to support his Marathon effort. The 35 year old from Borehamwood has a rare sight loss condition and is also partially deaf. Daniel was running his fifth marathon for RNIB and has raised around £15,000 for the charity in total.
He said: “I've never been held back by my sight loss. Everything’s a barrier that we can overcome.”
Robin Spinks who has worked for RNIB for 17 years was completing his second Marathon for the charity. He said: “The support from the crowds was off the charts! There was a moment when my resolve weakened a bit as the heat adversely affects me, but I went over to the crowd and started hi-fiving people and it just pushed me on and gave me that energy.
“With running you get an incredible opportunity to push yourself out of your own comfort zone, which is incredible. If you can do that and do it for an amazing organisation like RNIB then, why wouldn’t you? The high from it is just phenomenal!”
Kajal Shah, 25, ran for RNIB as she is an optometrist so deals with sight loss every day. She was delighted to have completed her first marathon for RNIB and to have brought her family along to support her.
John Gilchrist, 47, who battled complications related to diabetes to prepare for the marathon and has lost 10 stone since taking up running two years ago, joked: “It basically destroyed me, but it picked up a lot from mile 21 when all the crowds were cheering me. I totally enjoyed it. There are certain struggles I go through everyday with my limited sight. I know that anything I can do for RNIB that will help other people in this position is a massive bonus.”
On behalf of the RNIB Events Team, we want to say a massive heartfelt thank you to our incredible London Marathon 2027 team. Your dedication, passion, and tireless fundraising have made a real difference, and completing the London Marathon 2027 is an extraordinary achievement. You’ve gone above and beyond to support people with sight loss, and we couldn’t be prouder of every single one of you.
To sign up to run the London Marathon for RNIB in 2027, visit: Run the TCS London Marathon 2027 for RNIB | RNIB
