11 May 2020
Sunday 26th April should have seen us cheering on our runners at the 40th London Marathon. However, with the UK still staying at home to protect our NHS, we asked our supporters to take part in the London Marathon’s 2.6 Challenge instead – a call for all stay at home superheroes to fundraise in whatever way they could to support the UK’s charities.
To be a part of the challenge, you had to complete a fundraising activity based on the numbers 2 and 6. Our supporters leapt to the task – from back garden marathons to a 2.6 km swim in a paddling pool! Many of you also took up the Helicopter Challenge - completing an exercise move called the Helicopter 26 times. One of our marathon runners joined forces with her friends and family to complete as many 2.6 challenges as they could over one day.
Today we are pleased to announce that your amazing efforts on behalf of London’s Air Ambulance Charity have raised over £21,000 and counting!
The 2.6 Challenge saw London Marathon call on the support of all the other mass participation event organisers, as well as fundraising platforms JustGiving and Virgin Money Giving, to create a week-long challenge to help save UK charities. The challenge was very simple - complete an activity that suits your skills based on the numbers 2 and 6, then either donate or set up a fundraiser.
As part of the launch we created the Helicopter Challenge. We challenged our supporters to complete an exercise move called the Helicopter 26 times.
The challenges still haven’t stopped though, we have many brave supporters who have chosen to complete their challenges over 26 days or beyond. Our very own Chair of Trustees Mark Vickers is rowing 6,260m in 26 minutes on 26 consecutive days. Other longer challenges include working towards losing 26 lbs, running 2.6 miles each day for 26 days and hosting 26 virtual parties.
The London Marathon has been rescheduled until 4th October 2020 and we will be there on the day cheering on our team of runners along with the thousands of other participants.
Until then, we’d like to thank our supporters for their incredible efforts during this pandemic. To keep flying and saving lives, we need to keep fundraising - and we need your support now more than ever.
